It’s that time of year again—college application season.

Back when I applied to colleges 17 years ago, I sent out 13 applications. Yes, 13. I got a little obsessed and carried away. I didn’t know what I wanted—just that I wanted to stay in the Northeast and go to the best school I could get into. I worked hard in high school, and getting into a “top” school felt like the finish line.

In the end, I chose the University of Vermont. It wasn’t the highest-ranked school that accepted me, but I knew I could graduate debt-free. With the average graduate leaving college about $40,000 in debt, I don’t regret that decision.

Stacker pulled data from Niche’s 2026 Best Colleges in America to rank the best colleges on the East Coast. Some of the schools on the list didn’t surprise me at all. A few definitely did.

🎓 Read the full story: 30 best colleges on the East Coast

Did you find any on the list surprising? Reply and let me know!

Here’s what else we’re covering today:

👶 Most popular boy and girl names in the 1960s in NH

📢 Question of the week: Should New Hampshire schools have open school enrollment?

🌞 The bright side: Your local good news roundup

💪 Nominate a local hero, and we’ll feature them in this newsletter

P.S. It’s the (Lunar) New Year—spread knowledge, not clutter. This newsletter is free and easy to share.

(Filip Mroz/ Unsplash)

If you grew up in New Hampshire in the 1960s, or your parents did, there’s a good chance these names filled your classrooms, Little League rosters and high school yearbooks. Stacker dug into the numbers using Social Security data from 1960 to 1969. Here are the baby names that defined a generation in the Granite State.

Spot your name? Or your sibling’s name? Forward this email to them.

30. Tina (522); Keith (523)

29. Denise (528); Douglas (541)

28. Robin (570); Eric (567)

27. Elizabeth (581); Ronald (582)

26. Sandra (582); Matthew (610)

25. Laurie (583); Charles (631)

24. Cynthia (589); Gary (662)

23. Kelly (591); Donald (707)

22. Nancy (592); Joseph (740)

21. Lori (593); Kenneth (757)

20. Wendy (609); Stephen (819)

19. Debra (632); Peter (920)

18. Kathleen (652); Christopher (1,094)

17. Cheryl (663); Steven (1,147)

16. Diane (709); Paul (1,173)

15. Brenda (717); Timothy (1,185)

14. Patricia (739); Daniel (1,287)

13. Christine (743); Kevin (1,297)

12. Pamela (766); Thomas (1,299)

11. Kimberly (778); Brian (1,332)

10. Tammy (811); William (1,333)

9. Deborah (839); Jeffrey (1,334)

8. Mary (862); Richard (1,731)

7. Jennifer (862); Scott (1,750)

6. Michelle (876); Mark (1,880)

5. Linda (945); James (2,159)

4. Donna (1,060); Robert (2,281)

Top Three:

3. Susan (1,285); John (2,329)

2. Karen (1,307); David (2,998)

1. Lisa (2,196); Michael (3,307)

Republicans in the House and Senate want to make every school in New Hampshire open enrollment. That means students could attend any public school in the state, and the town where that student lives would foot the bill.

Dig into the bills here: SB 101 and HB 751.

It could cost towns anywhere from $18,000 to $40,000 per student. School districts set their budgets based on how many students they expect to serve and what those students need. School leaders say this proposal would make budgeting that much harder.

Supporters say this gives families more flexibility. Critics worry about inequities, especially for students who don’t have transportation to schools outside their area.

Curious what this could mean for your community? Use Reaching Higher’s calculator to estimate costs.

So this week’s question is…

Should New Hampshire schools have open school enrollment?

Here’s what you’re saying…

“This bill does not address the underlying problem with school funding in local districts. New Hampshire’s long-standing reliance on property taxes to fund education has consistently benefited students in wealthier communities. This bill would only continue that trend, promoting opportunities for families who can afford to transport their children to more affluent districts. It’s also easy to predict that many students would gravitate toward schools with stronger athletic programs. What does this bill do to encourage students to value and contribute to the communities where they live? At best, it misses the mark. Legislators would be far more effective if they focused their time and effort on developing a fair and equitable solution to public education funding in New Hampshire.” — Holly Huxtable Patterson

Granite Goodness Live is coming to 3S Artspace in Portsmouth on March 27 for a night celebrating New Hampshire’s growing podcast scene.

Hosted by Andy DeMeo, the event features two live conversations with creators from NH Uncharted, Creative Guts, Seacoast Stories, New Hampshire Has Issues, One Quick Thing, and Telltalks Northeast, plus an opening performance by indie-folk favorite Sneaky Miles.

Buy tickets here.

The following briefs are presented in partnership with Granite Goodness. Subscribe today.

☀️ New Hampshire’s clean energy idea goes national. Canary Media

A New Hampshire program that sends clean energy experts town to town just won $3 million in federal funding to expand nationwide, helping communities cut costs and emissions. The Energy Circuit Rider model has already saved local governments millions, and now its practical, community-first approach is ready to roll across rural America. 

🌲 USDA invests in New England forest health, timber markets. New England Forestry Foundation

The New England Forestry Foundation just secured a $32 million USDA award to improve forest management across 50,000 acres and strengthen local wood markets across New England. -— 

💰 New grants boost Main Street, economies across NH. My Keene Now

New Hampshire communities are receiving over $9 million in new federal grants to expand child care, upgrade infrastructure, preserve historic places, and strengthen rural economies across six counties. The funding will add child care slots, modernize water and public facilities, support small businesses, and create new jobs.

💙 Know someone in New Hampshire who’s doing something worth celebrating? Whether it’s a neighbor, volunteer, small business owner, artist, or community leader, we want to hear about it!

Send us their name, what they’re doing, and why it matters to you at info@granitepostnews.com.

Do you want to support Granite Post’s mission while showcasing your products or services to an engaged audience of 60,000+ subscribers?

Email advertise@couriernewsroom.com for more information.

Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Katy Savage with stories from Stacker and Granite Goodness. It was edited by Paula Solis.

Granite Post is free for everyone. Your support makes that possible.