Princeton

The average applicant to Princeton scored about 2100 on the SAT1 and over 700 on 3 SAT2 exams. They rejected more than 90% of them. Add to that the fact that over 1000 undergraduates (of the 4800 total) play a varsity or JV sport AND that students from all 50 states and hundreds of foreign countries apply here and you might have an appreciation of how difficult it is to be admitted.
That said, it seems like such an idyllic place that, if you have the numbers, you should consider it. It's easily one of the most beautiful campuses I've ever been on, focuses on undergraduates, has an incredibly rich history and super-famous alums (at least 2 presidents, 1 queen, senators, actors and our current first lady).
Another plus; their financial aid policies make it possible to graduate debt-free.
With majors in Architecture and several types of Engineering as well as dozens of more traditional Liberal Arts, there is a lot to choose from.
Princeton is just under 200 miles from the Ville, right in between Manhattan and Philadelphia with a small train station right on campus.

TCNJ

In 1996, Trenton State changed it's name to The College of New Jersey and, perhaps, changed it's image at about the same time. While on the bus tour in Vermont, I spent a lot of time with some counselors from NJ and got the impression that this was a 'hot' school for many of their kids. High praise from several prominent national magazines certainly supports their claim. It's a really nice looking campus located in Ewing which is actually right next to Trenton. Ewing seems like a more upscale suburb- a nice place. The admissions couselors I spoke with made it clear that they would love to have more out of state students. There are currently 5600 full time undergrads with plans to grow to 6000. The campus is just over 200 miles from VVille, has majors in Engineering, Sciences, Nursing, Education, Business, Creative and Performing Arts and most of the common majors you'd find at other liberal arts schools. Just 10 minutes from Princeton and less than an hour from both NYC and Philly, TCNJ is worth a look.

Dartmouth

The smallest of the Ivy League with just 4300 undergrads, Dartmouth is quite difficult to get in and has an extremely high retention rate and satisfied grads who give back to the school generously. Located in the small town of Hanover, NH it's just over the Vermont border and about 3.5 hours from VVille. While I was there, I happened to run in to Steven Wang (VHS '07) and had coffee with Billy Corbett (VHS '06). Amazingly, in 2008 we had 5 former students attending Dartmouth at the same time!
A unique feature about this college is "the Dartmouth Plan"- basically a quarterly calender that allows students flexibility to take just 3 classes at a time for 10 weeks. Typically, a student will attend 3 of the 4 quarters each year, including at least one summer quarter (New Hampshire is beautiful in the summer). Most students will spend at least 1 and up to 3 quarters abroad. The schedule also allows for internships during times when most college students are not available to intern, making the competition for spots almost nonexistent.
The Tuck School of Business and the Thayer School of Engineering offer popular majors. Current hot paths of study include International Studies as well as Global Health. Small classes but lots of opportunities for undergraduate research were points stressed during both the tour and info session.
Social life tends to be dominated by the Greeks. 60% of eligible students (sophs and older)are members of a frat or sorority. The school's student run newspapers might have one believe that debauchery was the rule on weekends, but academics are challenging and students must work hard to be successful. The are many artistic, athletic and altruistic options to follow for those who don't believe the school paper.

Johnson State

Johnson State is the 18th, and final, college I'll be visiting in Vermont on this trip. I believe I have now seen every traditional residential college in the entire state. Located in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, it's a well-kept state school that might be a great fit for students coming out of high school with less than stellar grades.
It also has a working television studio and puts on it's own newscast 5 days a week. For students interested in this field, it's a hands-on program that allows students to easily get involved. Education is it's largest major and the Hospitality & Tourism department is popular. Outdoor Recreation is offered as a major. An interesting option is the Wellness and Alternative Medicine program.
Visual and Performing arts have a major presence around campus. A large percentage play varsity sports here as well. Behind one of the dorms is a hill that students use for skiing and snowboarding in the winter.

Sterling

New England’s only work learning service college and the smallest of all colleges that I will visit, Sterling has just 100 students. There is no cell phone service on campus and no shopping nearby. Students dine together at the lone dining room and get to know each other and the faculty very well. This is a place for those who love the outdoors. The only majors offered are in Conservation Ecology, Outdoor Education or Circumpolar Studies (which focuses on studying the northern hemisphere). Students can also design their own major. Regardless of major, each student must supply their own axe!
Sustainability is a focus for everyone. Each student also works for the school in some capacity. There is a working farm on campus with pigs, chicken, sheep, horses and cows that students care for. They might also work in the kitchen, with maintenance, or in an office.
Experiential learning is stressed. The classroom is often in the field; be it a river, a mountain, the farm, or some other venue.
There are no varsity sports teams or school music groups. There are weekly meetings on Wednesday afternoons to discuss everything going on around campus. About half the students live off campus or commute, so on weekends, the remaining students often camp or hike or cross country ski.

Lyndon State

Located in Northern Vermont in an area known as 'The Northeast Kingdom' for some reason, LSC is a reasonably priced option with fairly easy admissions standards. They are probably best known for their meteorology department and also produce a nightly news show 5 days a week at their very own television studio. TV Production is another popular major as is Mountain Recreation Management. Other majors include Music Industry, Exercise Science, and Sports Management. Burke Mountain is adjacent to the campus and students make good use of it. There are a few Associates degrees, but, for the most part, students here are pursuing Bachelor's Degrees. It's a clean, modern campus with small classes where sports, theatre, visual and performing arts all seem abundant. Many opportunities to travel abroad exist as well.

New England Culinary Institute

NECI (pronounced 'necky') is similar to the CIA in it's mission and offerings but does differ in many ways as well. There are few majors here; mostly baking/ pastry/ culinary and hospitality & restaurant management. Students can obtain either Associates or Bachelors degrees here and many non traditional, adult aged students do attend classes. There is housing available for all students. NECI runs 3 restaurants in Montpelier, Vt. Students are required to complete a 6 month residency and a 700 hour intership for each of 2 years prior to receiving a degree. Students who want to attend can begin their studies at 4 different points in the calender year. There are many internship opportunities and graduates have a 98% placement rate in their field.