16.  Known as a “public Ivy,” the University of Virginia offers in-staters a top-notch education at one of the country’s lowest total college costs. What’s more, students live and study inside a UNESCO World Heritage Site (the only U.S. college to have that designation), featuring a spectacularly beautiful campus designed by university founder Thomas Jefferson. Students seem to thrive: U.Va. has the highest graduation rate of any public school in the country: 93%. The undergraduate programs in English, history, education, business and many sciences (especially astr...