Who says dorm living and fine dining experiences don't go together? With the costs of college tuition skyrocketing, today's college shoppers are savvier than ever about getting the most for their money. In addition to high academic standards, brilliant professors, and great resources, students want to know that the college of their choice has--you guessed it--great food. The Princeton Review's survey of 120,000 college students for the Best 366 Colleges: 2008 Edition revealed the top ten schools offering students the finest in collegiate dining.

Finding great food in the South may seem like a cliché, but on Tech's campus, it's a reality. Students say, "Everyone loves the food on campus." It's not uncommon for students to turn down a free meal from mom and dad in favor of the "cheap" and "awesome" campus dining options. With "plenty of variety, lots of dining halls, and all-around great food," it's no wonder that Hokies voice appreciation for the effort their school puts into feeding them.

Students who considered Virginia Tech also looked at James Madison University, University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, and the College of William and Mary.

Bowdoin College leads the pack in offering students an exceptional culinary experience. With a menu featuring "great choices that are cooked very well," students say "the food makes Bowdoin feel like home." Already home to "incredible" people, a "beautiful" campus, and "inspired" faculty, for many prospective students the "amazing" food is what "seal[s] the deal."

Students who considered Bowdoin College also looked at Amherst College, Dartmouth College, Bates College, and Colby College.

At Wheaton College, the food service is interactive. "The chefs are very good, and [are] always open to new suggestions. They are here to accommodate the students' needs, and so are very willing to cook items requested by the students." Students warn, however, that because of "the food quality, the ‘freshman 15' here is often closer to the ‘freshman 20.'" Most are willing to tolerate a few extra pounds to enjoy such epicurean delights as Wheaton's much-lauded "boiled lobster tail and peppercorn-crusted steak."

Students who considered Wheaton College also looked at Gordon College, Grove City College, Cedarville University, and Biola University.

When Bryn Mawr students aren't doing "more work than you've ever done in your life," the undergraduates at this small, prestigious women's college enjoy an enviable campus dining experience. Three architecturally distinguished dining halls on this "gorgeous" campus serve up three squares for this busy student body. A registered dietitian offers nutritional and wellness seminars.

Students who considered Bryn Mawr also looked at Haverford College, Smith College, Swarthmore College, and Mount Holyoke College.

JMU is the place for "great food, academics, parties, friends, and stuff to do." On this "extremely friendly" campus, "even the cafeteria ladies seem to brighten your day a little." While students enjoy eating out at restaurants in hometown Harrisonburg, they are quick to assure us that "you will never get bored of eating on campus." With such a "variety of great food" and such friendly dining service, it's no wonder that students at JMU can't stop singing their school's praises.

Students who considered James Madison University also looked at the College of William and Mary, George Mason University, University of Virginia, and University of Delaware.

The food at Colby College is more than a meal; it's an experience. Here, students bond over "custom-made omelets" while they swap "weekend war stories." The food is so "spectacular" that even professors want to get a taste. Fortunately, they can "eat for free if a student brings them to a meal."

Students who considered Colby also looked at Bates College, Connecticut College, Bowdoin College, and Hamilton College.

Prospective students at this tiny engineering powerhouse will find themselves "charmed" by the quality of the food on campus. With "great" on-campus food services and cafeteria employees who "know us by name and know our tastes," Olin ensures that the personalized attention students receive in the classroom carries over into the cafeteria.

Students who considered Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering also looked at Cornell University, California Institute of Technology, Carnegie Mellon University, and Rice University.

St. Olaf is "the apex of Minnesota niceness--the campus is nice, the food is nice, the kids are nice, and the profs are nice." Being snowed in during those long Minnesota winters isn't so bad because "The food is so wonderful!" As one student puts it, "It's like eating in an awesome restaurant every day."

Students who considered St. Olaf College also looked at Carleton College, Gustavus Adolphus College, Luther College, and University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.

Cornell students enjoy great food both on and off campus. "Great salad bars, stir fry, sandwich bars, international meals, seafood, [and] kosher" mean that "there's something for everyone." Excellent in both "variety and quality" and also for "the assortment of food places in Ithaca," the "amazing" dining options at Cornell help make the long winters at this powerhouse school in upstate New York (gustatorily) delightful.

Students who considered Cornell University also looked at University of Pennsylvania, Columbia University-Columbia College, Duke University, and Johns Hopkins University.

10. Washington University in St. Louis (St. Louis, Missouri)

Wash U’s “yummy food” is so “incredible” that students maybe “spend a little too much” on it. Deflated pockets aside, students here agree that the “mouth-watering food” at this renowned university helps create a “balanced” atmosphere where students “take intellectual risks, but also know how to kick back and have a good time.”

Students who considered Washington University also looked at Northwestern University, University of Chicago, Emory University, and University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.