After missing the deadline to apply for Towson, Palm Beach, Fla. native Katherine Abrego came to Maryland to attend community college in Baltimore just so she could transfer to Towson next semester.

“From that area there aren’t a lot of colleges,” she said. “Here you have a lot of colleges in the same area so there’s a lot of things geared toward college students.”

Abrego’s opinion is shared by the American Institute for Economic Research, who named the metropolitan Baltimore area the fifth best major metro college area in College Destinations Index.

This index ranked 227 U.S. major metropolitan areas with more than 2.5 million people, and student populations of at least 15,000. Data from the Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, National Science Foundation and Small Business Administration all contribute to the evaluation of each city’s academic environment, employment opportunities and quality of life.

Sophomore Parris Dawkins said she likes living in the Towson area, particularly the interconnectedness of all the colleges in the area.

“I prefer city life, it’s more close knit, and faster paced,” she said. “It’s very convenient, like how the bus is routed for each school.”

Freshman Stephanie Chong said she enjoys the Towson area.

“There’s a lot of crimes but it is a nice town because everything is so close, like the mall is five minutes away,” she said.
The Baltimore Metropolitan area has a great nightlife scene, sophomore Matt Brooks said.

“I think Towson, as far as student life goes, is a great place for a college student to be,” he said. “I think this place is perfect for college life.”

Baltimore has a population of 2,714,183 people with an 86.2 percent student population, according to the College Destinations Index.
The College Destinations Index for the 2010-2011 academic year ranked Baltimore sixth, one spot lower than this year, with San Francisco in first, New York in second, and then Washington, Boston and Seattle following.