There's more to this venerable liberal arts college in the heart of New England than meets the eye. It's one of just 40 schools on Loren Pope's "Colleges That Change Lives" list - universities like Washington's Whitman, Pennsylvania's Allegheny and Wisconsin's Beloit that emphasize cooperative, not competitive learning, and collegial, collaborative relationships. Here's the lowdown:

• The College: Founded in 1887, Clark University combines all the best aspects of a small liberal arts school and a research university - classical studies and hands-on research that fit nicely with the university motto, "Challenge Convention. Change Our World." This small college was the nation's second graduate school - it didn't accept undergrads until 1902. Its faculty has included some truly notable professors, including A.A. Michelson, the first American to win a Nobel Prize in the sciences; Robert Goddard, who is considered the "father of the space age"; and G. Stanley Hall, the university's first president and the founder of the American Psychological Association. You've heard of Sigmund Freud's "Clark Lectures," which introduced psychoanalysis to the United States? This is the Clark. Today, some 2,200 undergrads and 1,000 grad students attend classes here on the semester system - so classes begin in August and end in May.

• The Tab: Tuition at this private college was $37,000 in 2011-12. Add room, board and fees, and the total tab is $44,450 per year. Freshmen and sophomores are required to live on campus and 71% of all the undergrads, including juniors and seniors, do. In addition to dorms and student houses, Clark also has five houses just for grad students. What you won't find here: Greek houses.
• The College Town: The historic city of Worcester - which is pronounced WOO-ster, though some call it Woo-town or simply The Woo - dates back to the colonial era. These days, it's a bustling, diverse city of 175,000 with restaurants, museums, a 400-acre Audubon sanctuary, an Ecotarium and a lively arts scene. Historic Old Sturbridge Village is nearby and Boston is just 40 miles away. If you're coming from out of state, you'll be flying into Boston's Logan airport, a major hub - and make sure you sure dress warmly in the winter months. This part of New England gets more than 65 inches of snow per year. You'll find plenty of hotels and inns in both Worcester and Boston. Some may offer discounts to college visitors, so be sure to ask when you call to make reservations.

• More Important Details: This top-ranked school offers 32 majors in everything from ancient civilation to screen studies, global environmental studies and international development and social change. There's even a minor in innovation and entrepreneurship. If your college kid is interested in eventually going to graduate school, be sure to check out Clark's accelerated BA/MA program, which gets your kid both degrees in five years - but the fifth year is free. Also noteworthy: Clark has world's only Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies, and it's the only school in the nation that offers a Ph.D in that subject.
  
  As you stroll the campus, be sure to check out the iconic Clark Hall - that's the big red one in all the brochures - as well as the campus' five newest buildings, which include an arts center and a bioscience complex.
  
  Of course, it's not all work here. This Division III school offers 17 varsity sports - you'll be cheering for the Cougars alongside the other "Clarkies" - and 120 student clubs. Roughly half the student body participates in varsity or intramural sports. And like so many other schools with long histories, Clark has its own charming college traditions, from the snowball fights that greet the first snowfall of winter, to midnight breakfasts during exams and Spree Day, an administration-approved spring cut-day.
• Incoming Frosh Stats: Clark accepts 69% of its applicants. The typical freshman comes in with a 3.45 GPA, and average test scores of a 602 on the SAT critical reading exam, and a 589 on the math. And 89% of the freshmen return for sophomore year.
• Learn More About Clark: Visit the campus web site for information on Clark, as well as admissions details and to make reservations for campus tours, classroom visits and the Lunch with a Clarkie program. As for the campus itself, you'll find it at 950 Main St., Worcester, MA.