As many students are already aware, autumn is the time for college applications. For some students, that means applying to local community colleges or public institutions. Others will try to go out-of-state for their college education.

For students applying locally, there are usually three main options for a large four-year school: the University of Kansas, Kansas State University, or the University of Missouri. Many students know these schools primarily through sports loyalty or alumni parents.

However, students wishing to apply to college should consider more than just sports teams.

Located in Lawrence, Kan., KU is well known for its successful basketball team, but also boasts an impressive medical school. According to Alexandria Doyle, KU graduate, KU excels primarily in “health care and liberal arts degrees.”

The university has the only medical and pharmaceutical schools in Kansas as well as the only Cancer Center in the state. It is also affiliated with the University of Kansas Hospital located in Kansas City.

In addition to its school of medicine, KU is high ranked in other areas of study. According to U.S. News college rankings, KU is top ranked in education, clinical psychology, occupational therapy and public affairs.

KU also has a nationally ranked honor program.

K-State, based in Manhattan, Kan., was one of the first land-grant universities in the nation. Founded originally for agricultural studies, K-State has since expanded to become a prominent research university.

“Kansas State is well-known for its academic programs in both the Schools of Engineering and Agriculture,” said Bradley Hermreck, K-state graduate. K-State is the only school to offer a degree in milling science, and it’s engineering school offers 12 majors.

“KSU offers a strong sense of community.” Hermreck said. “Regardless of whether someone is from a small town or a large municipality, each student is able to… be an integral part of the classroom and campus social life.”

Lastly, MU, located in Columbia, Mo., is known primarily for its schools of law and journalism. The first established school of its kind, MU’s school of journalism is nationally renowned.

“MU is a very large school, which means I’ve gotten the experience of trying classes far outside my major and having a wide variety of classes and programs to choose from,” said Katy Mersmann, MU graduate student. However, Mersmann does warn that because MU is outside Kansas, “there are a lot fewer people from South than generally go to KU or K State.”

These three universities represent only a fraction of the universities available to students after high school. When it comes to choosing a university, it is worth it to do some research on what they offer, not just how well their sports team performs.