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    The college application process brings a heavy dose of emotions: excitement, fear, pride, anxiety. The idea of leaving your furry friend behind for school can be an added stress, but also an unnecessary one. More colleges are allowing students to bring pets to add comfort to campus life. Check out the best places for your pet to can get some higher learning, too.

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    12. WELLESLEY COLLEGE

    Location: Wellesley, Mass.

    Pet Policy: While this women's college doesn't allow cats or dogs, it is open to other pets, such as small birds, fish and small rodents. 

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    11. LEHIGH UNIVERSITY 

    Location: Bethlehem, Pa.

    Pet Policy: Unfortunately, fish are the only pets allowed in residence halls. On the other paw, the university permits fraternity and sorority houses to have one cat or dog. 

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    10. SWEET BRIAR COLLEGE

    Location: Sweet Briar, Va. 

    Pet Policy: This women's college doesn't admit males, but it does allow horses. Sweet Briar offers boarding for students with steeds. The only catch is that you have to be part of Sweet Briar's riding team to get your a horse ticket to the school.

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    9. MIT

    Location: Cambridge, Mass. 

    Pet Policy: Felines must help big brains grow even bigger, because MIT allows students to keep kitties. Any felines boarding at the university must stick to the cat-friendly areas of campus and be approved by the dorm's Pet Chair.

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    8. UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO

    Location: Moscow, Idaho

    Pet Policy: The University of Idaho permits cats and small birds in any of their apartment-style residence halls. Students are restricted to two cats or birds per apartment. 

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    7. SUNY CANTON

    Location: Canton, N.Y.

    Pet Policy: SUNY Canton offers attendees with animals a special pet wing in its dorms, where cats and small caged animals are allowed.

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    6. CALTECH

    Location:Pasadena, Calif.

    Pet Policy: Multiple residence halls at CalTech allow students to keep up to two cats, as long as they follow the school's guidelines. Additionally, CalTech has a volunteer program devoted to caring for feral cats who live on the campus grounds. This group's policies have been adopted by other colleges. 

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    5. UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN

    Location: Champaign, Ill.

    Pet Policy: Students who live in the school's Ashton Woods housing unit are allowed to keep up to two pets per apartment. Approved critters include cats, dogs, rabbits and fish. 

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    4. WASHINGTON & JEFFERSON COLLEGE

    Location: Washington, Pa. 

    Pet Policy: Washington & Jefferson College is welcoming to most critters. The school allows students to bring dogs under 40 pounds, cats, small birds, hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs and fish. The campus must be a really wild place!

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    3. ECKERD COLLEGE

    Location: Saint Petersburg, Fla.

    Pet Policy: As long as you make sure to properly register your pet, Eckerd College is open to almost any animal. The school allows student to bring dogs under 40 pounds, cats, ducks, ferrets, rabbits, caged animals, amphibians and fish.

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    2. PRINCIPIA COLLEGE

    Location: Elsah, Ill.

    Pet Policy: Principia permits cat, dogs, rabbits, caged animals and fish in the residence halls. To make sure the dorms don't become too much of a zoo, the school has an animal relations committee that makes sure things stay safe for both humans and pets. 

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    1. STEPHENS COLLEGE

    Location: Columbia, Mo. 

    Pet Policy: Pets aren't just allowed at Stephens College, they are treated like royalty. The school has a pet-centered dorm that accepts almost any animal. The facility also includes a doggie daycare. Stephens takes its love for animals one step further, by offering a program for students to foster animals from local no-kill shelters.