Four liberal arts colleges in the mountains of western North Carolina made the grade in this year’s “Best Colleges” guide by U.S. News & World Report. (A young man smiles during freshmen move-in day in 2011 at UNC Asheville. The institution maintained its ranking as seventh best public liberal arts school in the nation this year, according to the 2014 Best Colleges guide published by U.S. News & World Report today. Photo by Caitlin Byrd)