•AVERAGE: 68
Samford University is in Homewood, AL just 5 miles away from Birmingham. The 200 acre private 4-year college was founded in 1841 as Howard College. Upon adding schools to become a university, it was renamed Samford University in the 1960s in honor of a long-time Trustee of the college. The campus architecture is based on that of colonial Williamsburg, Virginia and has a classic, college atmosphere feel. The town of Homewood, sister city to Homewood, IL, refused annexation attempts by Birmingham in 1959 and 1966. The town benefits from close proximity to the industrial economy of Birmingham (aka the Pittsburgh of the South) while remaining its own small college town. Samford is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention and notable alumni include several government officials and three “Miss Alabama” winners.