Appalachian State University

Boone, NC · founded 1899 · 20,000 students · public research university · Sun Belt

Known for: Famous for its stunning mountain location, strong sustainability initiatives, and its historic 2007 football upset over Michigan.

Rankings

Forbes: #150

Top programmes

Sustainable Technology
Education
Business
Health Sciences
Psychology
Recreation Management

Notable alumni

Eric Church — Country music singer and songwriter
Daniel Wilcox — Former NFL tight end
Luke Combs — Country music singer and songwriter
Armanti Edwards — Former NFL and CFL quarterback
Dexter Coakley — Former NFL linebacker
Carla Banks — Television news anchor
Trey Elder — Former professional football player

Traditions

Yosef's Birthday
Mountaineer Week
Lighting of Yosef
Appalachian Summer Festival

If Appalachian State University were…

As a food: Heirloom rainbow trout with ramp butter and foraged morels — Wild-caught, sustainably sourced, deeply connected to its terroir—like App State, it's authentic Appalachian elevation cuisine that values tradition while innovating with environmental consciousness.
As an athlete: Megan Rapinoe — The activist-athlete who combines elite performance with progressive values and community engagement—much like App State's blend of Division I football success and carbon-neutral leadership.
As a person alive today: Jason Momoa — The outdoorsy, environmentally conscious actor who looks like a mountain man but advocates for sustainability—similar to App State's rugged Appalachian aesthetic paired with progressive climate action.
As a historical figure: John Muir — The Scottish-born naturalist who found divinity in mountains while advocating preservation through education—mirroring App State's location in the 'High Country' and its mission of environmental stewardship through hands
As a movie or TV show: The Last of the Mohicans (1992 film) — Shot in the Blue Ridge Mountains around Boone, it's a period piece where the landscape itself is the main character—wild, beautiful, and demanding respect—capturing App State's deep integration with its environment.
As a US president: Theodore Roosevelt — The conservationist president who blended elite education with rugged outdoorsmanship, establishing national parks while boxing in the White House—like App State's combination of academic excellence and mountain culture.
As a city: Asheville, North Carolina — A creative, outdoorsy mountain town with progressive values, craft beer, and respect for Appalachian heritage—like Boone, it's where hippie culture meets Southern hospitality at high altitude.
As an element: Silicon — The second most abundant element in Earth's crust, essential for both computer chips and quartz crystals—like App State, it bridges high-tech sustainability with ancient mountain geology.
As a car: Subaru Outback Wilderness — Appalachian State is the lifted wagon that actually goes off-road in the Blue Ridge—practical, outdoorsy, unpretentious, and beloved by the granola-and-football community that calls Boone home. It's got mud on the fender

Campus life

App State offers an active, outdoors-oriented campus life with a strong sense of community. Students enjoy hiking, skiing, and other recreational activities in the nearby Blue Ridge Mountains.

The film, scored

This profile answers “if Appalachian State University were a movie or TV show?” with The Last of the Mohicans (1992). Shot in the Blue Ridge Mountains around Boone, it's a period piece where the landscape itself is the main character—wild, beautiful, and demanding respect—capturing App State's deep integration with its environment. It sits in the 90th percentile on rankquant, which re-centres every critic score on the reviewer who gave it, so a percentile means position against peers rather than a raw star average. The full film & TV catalogue ranks the rest the same way.