Before Matt Damon starred in "Good Will Hunting," he really hit the books at Harvard.

And before James Franco turned on his wild side in "Freaks and Geeks," the math wiz interned at Lockheed Martin.

We rounded up 30 celebrities who are high school valedictorians, Ivy Leaguers, MENSA members, and certified geniuses in their own rights.

These stories of actors, musicians, and TV personalities' brilliance may surprise you.

Allison Williams is more than the smart one on "Girls."

Growing up under Brian Williams' roof, the "Girls" actress wasn't allowed to act professionally until she graduated from college. She studied English and archaeology classes at Yale — taking the kind of classes that make you feel like "lying on the ground thinking about things,"she says.

When she didn't get a part in Yale's big musical as a freshman, she joined the improv group instead and found she had dad's comedy genes.

Ashton Kutcher anticipated acceptances to both MIT and Purdue to study engineering.

But the former "Punk'd" host lost his scholarships when he broke into his high school as a prank. He ended up at the University of Iowa, but dropped out at age 19 to pursue modeling. Kutcher now divides his time between acting and smart investing — in companies like Airbnb, Spotify, and Foursquare.

"The sexiest thing in the entire world is being really smart," Kutcher said at last year's Teen Choice Awards.

Cindy Crawford studied chemical engineering on scholarship at Northwestern University.

Cindy Crawford, who graduated as the valedictorian of her high school class, signed her first modeling contract in 1984. Initially she used the money to supplement her scholarship to attend Northwestern University, but she ditched school to launch her career.

By '85, she appeared in the pages of Vogue, and would go on to become one of the original Big Six supermodels.

Sometimes, no matter what you do, the day drags on.

You stare at the screen, willing yourself to be productive, but the spark just isn’t there.

Perhaps it is because you aren’t fueling your mind, and body, in the most effective way.

Eating brain foods can change the way you work.

Heightening attention, improving stamina and allowing you to think clearer.

“When you eat healthy foods you not only improve your physical health, but you will also help your mind,” says Cyndi O’Meara, nutritionist and author of the book Changing Habits.

She says when nourished, the mind has “energy, stays alert and gives you the very best that you need in order to climb your way to the top in your business”.

The key is to be organised and prepared.

12. Beef Jerky

Homemade or well made beef jerky without flavours, MSG, additives or preservatives is a wonderful snack to have at the office in your desk, so that when you need a spark of inspiration and are feeling a little peckish it’s there for you to nibble on. I first learnt the art of dried meat when I lived in the US and then did safari in South Africa. This is a valuable source of protein and nutrition, and is a far better snack to have in your desk as opposed to lollies or chips.

11. Left overs

Leftover meat and cold vegetables are one of my favourite things to take to work. I don’t even bother heating them up but rather make up a green leafy salad of cold meat and cold roast sweet potatoes with cherry tomatoes and cut up cucumbers and if I have some feta in the fridge I cut that into the salad as well. It’s quick and easy and doesn't take a lot of preparation in the morning!

10. Fruit

Fruit is a great snack for work, especially seasonal fruit. In the winter I usually carry apples, pears and oranges, while in the summer it becomes more exotic with peaches, nectarines, apricots and grapes. These are quick and easy to put into the brief case or esky that you take to work and snack on throughout the day.

You don't need to move to the middle of nowhere to find a cheap home.

Chances are, you'll probably recognize some of the cities and suburbs that made it onto Coldwell Banker's annual list of most affordable housing markets in the US, like Buffalo, New York, and Cleveland, Ohio. 

Every year, the company puts together a Home Listing Report, which ranks the most expensive and most affordable places to live in the US.

The company compared nearly 2,000 markets for the report, looking at the average listing prices of over 51,000 four-bedroom, two-bathroom homes. The national average listing price, they found, was $295,317.

Here are the 25 most affordable markets in the US.

25. Radcliff, Kentucky

Average listing price: $120,765

State average listing price: $197,700

Radcliff has a population of 23,223. 62% of the population has white collar jobs, while 38% has blue collar jobs.

The median age of homes is 19 years. 48% of those homes are owned, 47% are rented, and 5% are not occupied.

Source: Coldwell Banker

24. North Platte, Nebraska

Average listing price: $120,583

State average listing price: $139,111

North Platte has a population of 24,776. 59% of the population has white collar jobs, while 41% has blue collar jobs.

The median age of homes is 38 years. 55% of those homes are owned, 37% are rented, and 8% are not occupied.

Source: Coldwell Banker

23. Forest Park, Ohio

Average listing price: $120,247

State average listing price: $204,029

Forest Park has a population of 18,670. 62% of the population has white collar jobs, while 38% has blue collar jobs.

The median age of homes is 29 years. 55% of those homes are owned, 40% are rented, and 6% are not occupied.

Source: Coldwell Banker

Sure, you love steak and know all the best steakhouses, but are you a true connoisseur?

We spoke with New York City's Old Homestead Steakhouse team (including owners Greg and Marc Sherry, and executive chef Oscar Martinez and his culinary team), as well as executive chef David Nichols at the Gerber Group and executive chef Paul Niedermann at BLT Prime Doral in Miami on the steak knowledge that separates the men from the boys.

Keep reading to see their answers.

A porterhouse steak and a T-bone steak are not the same. Though they look almost identical, both are part sirloin and filet mignon, and both are double-cut, you get more bone and less meat with a T-bone. 

Filet mignon doesn’t have to be aged. Because it’s so lean, there’s no fat to break down, making the process unnecessary.

The rump is underrated and supremely flavorful. Just because the rump is a tougher kind of meat doesn’t mean you shouldn’t order it. It’s more flavorful than filet mignon and one-third the price.

Don’t be afraid of overseasoning, especially if you’re grilling. Niedermann, the executive chef of BLT Prime Doral in Miami, says most of the heavy seasoning will fall off onto the fire anyway. Better to have more flavor than less flavor.

Salt steaks 45 minutes before you sear them. Most people know that steakhouses slather their steak in salt to get that charred, crusty exterior that seals in all the juices and flavor, but give yourself enough time for it to properly set. "Besides the salt adding flavor, it draws moisture, which causes the salt to dissolve," Old Homestead Steakhouse executive chef Martinez told Business Insider. "Letting the salted steaks sit for at least 45 minutes allows the moisture to return into the meat. The salt makes a sumptuous crust on the exterior when it hits the grill." 

Make sure your heat source is hot enough. Give your grill or pan plenty of time to preheat and test the heat before putting your meat on. If it's hot enough, you shouldn't be able to hold your hand over the grates for more than two seconds.

On the subject of heat, thicker steaks require lower heat than thinner steaks. This one makes sense when you think about it: Cooking a thicker steak on high heat will cause the exterior to burn before the inside has cooked enough.

Grilling your steak will give you the best results. According to Nichols, executive chef at the hospitality and nightlife company Gerber Group, grilling retains the best flavors in the meat because it is a slower process and the coals allow the meat to heat evenly. 

And if you are grilling your steak, don't touch it if it's sticking to the grill — that means it's not ready to be turned. Be patient and touch your steak as little as possible to keep all the juices inside. 

Use tongs to handle steak. Never use a fork, which pierces the steak and causes the meat to lose juice and flavor. The less you touch and poke the steak, the better it will be.

Sear both sides of steak on high heat first before cooking. Place your steak directly over a flame for two minutes on each side, and then cook the steak off the flame until it’s done. This will seal in the moisture and make steaks extra juicy.

See if a steak is done with the finger test. This is an easy test cooks use to see if the steak is done without a meat thermometer. Old Homestead Steakhouse co-owner Greg Sherry outlined for us how to do it:

“Without using force, bring together the tips of your index finger and thumb, and then feel the fleshy area below the thumb (that’s what rare feels like)," he said. "Press together the tips of your ring finger and thumb, and then feel the flesh below the thumb (medium feels like this). To see what well-done feels like, gently press together the tips of your pinky finger and thumb, then feel the fleshy area beneath the thumb. Then enjoy your steak cooked to perfection."

Let your steak rest for half the amount of time you cooked it. This will let the juices retract and stay inside the meat, not on the plate.

Only a few New York steakhouses still have prime rib on the menu. Most have removed the menu item because it's too expensive to feature and what isn't sold at the end of the night has to be tossed.

Dry-aged steaks are more expensive because of mold and moisture loss. When meat is dry-aged, it's stored in temperature- and humidity-controlled refrigeration for three to six weeks as the moisture evaporates and the fibrous connective tissue that holds the cow’s muscle together breaks down, giving it a softer texture. A thin layer of mold often develops as well, and that is trimmed before cooking. Couple that with the moisture loss (about 20%), and the beef will weigh less than when it was first bought. 

Restaurants pay for the beef preweight loss though, which means as a customer you’re also going to pay more for your dry-aged steak.

The cost of beef rises when there’s a drought. No water means less grass, which forces farmers to purchase more expensive grain-based feed, like hay or corn. 

Memorial Day — not the Fourth of July or Labor Day — is the biggest day for beef. The other two holidays tied for second, according to Old Homestead Steakhouse.

28% of people who order a steak get a baked potato. But really you should try a more classic side, like creamed spinach or a hash brown potato cake.

Love steak, but not sure what to order? Follow this guide from Old Homestead Steakhouse: If you want melt-in-your-mouth tender, order filet mignon; tender but slightly chewy, order a sirloin; extremely juicy and flavorful, order a rib eye; can’t make up your mind, order the porterhouse (which is part sirloin, part filet mignon).

Now go eat some steak.

SEE ALSO: How To Pick The Perfect Cut Of Beef

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Alex Howes is one of the best cyclists in the country.

He's a World Tour rider for Team Garmin Sharp, which means he races in the big international tours in Europe. This year, he placed third in the professional national road race championships in the US, and won a stage of the USA Pro Challenge in Colorado. Last year, he completed the Vuelta a España.

Wednesday, he became a temporary spin instructor at the Peloton Cycle studio in Manhattan. It was his first time teaching a class and only his second time on a spin bike. You can usually find him doing six-hour training rides in Boulder, Colorado or his European base in Spain. He liked it though.

"In spin class, you have a lot of friends. You can look at and watch them suffer and sweat," he said. Then he laughed.

We went to his class and came out exhausted and swimming in our own sweat. Along the way, we got some tips from the pros.

Click Here For Pics From The Ride »

Check out the video:

Alex gets set up.

It was a packed house.

Before class, we took a selfie, naturally.

If you're looking for some of the most desirable and expensive properties on the market, head west.

According to Coldwell Banker's annual Home Listing Report, nine of the 10 most expensive housing markets in the US are in California, and the Bay Area dominated, thanks to the success of tech companies located nearby.

The Home Listing Report compare the cost of a four-bedroom, two-bathroom home in nearly 2,000 markets, analyzing more than 51,000 homes. It found that the average home in the country's most expensive market costs six times the national average listing price of $295,317.

Paige Cooperstein wrote an earlier version of this story. 

20. Westport, Connecticut

Average Listing Price: $923,422

State Average: $423,117

Westport, on the Long Island Sound, has a reputation for its excellent school system and is know for its proximity to New York City.

It was the 24th most expensive housing market in 2013.

19. Greenwich, Connecticut

Average Listing Price: $923,690

State Average: $423,117

Affluent Greenwich, also on the Long Island Sound, is one of the wealthiest towns in America. Residents include Paul Tudor Jones, Ray Dalio, and Sandy Weill.

It was the 15th most expensive housing market in 2013. 

18. Cohasset, Massachusetts

Average Listing Price: $923,889

State Average: $577,080

Cohasset, outside of Boston, is on the corner of the South Shore and has several beaches and a yacht club.

It was not one of the 25 most expensive housing markets in 2013.

Facebook is officially unveiling its new New York City office on Astor Place.

The company started moving teams into the new space back in February when it was still undergoing construction.

"Taking a moment to look back, when we first moved into this building in February it was an open construction site, and it’s been really rewarding to have all our employees together as we watch it take shape around us," site director Serkan Piantino writes. "We’ve seen a dozen pieces of artwork created, filled a library with our favorite books, opened a coffee bar for business, enjoyed the views looking down Broadway and daily sunsets over Greenwich Village, and, most recently, cut the ribbon on Desimone’s café with really quite incredible cuisine from our executive chef Nate Eckhaus."

Facebook is marking its official opening with a party tonight for NYC engineers and other techies. 

"We’re heavily invested in the growth of the New York tech community and eager to see what else is to come," a Facebook spokesperson said. 

For nearly 500 years, the emperors living within Beijing’s opulent Forbidden City dictated who could enter and leave.

Well, the gates have opened, and tourists are pouring in to see it all for themselves. Attendance is up by 2.5 million since 2010.

The Forbidden City is a dream destination for some Americans, but most have never researched a trip to Everland or Lotte World. Yet these South Korean theme parks also rank among the world’s 50 most-visited tourist attractions—beating out the Eiffel Tower (nearly 7 million), the Great Pyramids (4 million), and Stonehenge (1 million). And there are more surprises.

Click here to go straight to the attractions >>

Where we choose to spend our vacation time says a lot about what we value. Despite—or perhaps because of—what the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) calls “global economic challenges,” more travelers are hitting the road than ever. International tourist arrivals increased by 5 percent in 2013, according to the UNWTO. That translates to a record of more than one billion trips. With its population of 1.36 billion, China became the second-largest exporter of tourists. Russia, now the fifth-largest outbound market, increased travel spending by 26 percent.

Like it or not, theme parks clearly have worldwide appeal. France’s Disneyland Park draws about the same number of visitors (10.5 million) as Sacré Coeur, and four of the world’s 20 most-visited tourist attractions are Disney parks.

Many inspiring and iconic places can’t quite keep up. The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum narrowly missed the top 50, as did the British Museum in London (6.7 million), the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York (6.3 million), and the Roman Colosseum and Forum (5.1 million each). The Berlin Wall Memorial Site logged only 500,000 visitors in 2013, though extra crowds are arriving in November 2014 for the 25^th anniversary of its fall.

Accessibility can be a factor. It takes extra effort to reach Yellowstone National Park (3.2 million) or the Terracotta Army in Xi'an, China (4.8 million). And Peru’s Machu Picchu has restricted tourism to help maintain the site’s integrity; only 2,500 can enter per day, or 912,500 per year.

So what is the most-visited tourist attraction in the world? And can 91 million people be wrong? Read on to see the results—and an explanation of our methods for calculating it all.

The Methodology: To tally up the world’s most-visited attractions, we gathered the most recent data supplied by the attractions themselves or from government agencies, industry reports, and reputable media outlets. In most cases, it was 2013 data. Attractions that don’t sell tickets gave us estimates as best they could.

We defined “tourist attractions” as cultural and historical sites, natural landmarks, and officially designated spaces. So Boston’s shop-filled Faneuil Hall Marketplace (est. 1742) made the cut, but not Minnesota’s Mall of America, which, with 40 million annual visitors, would otherwise have tied for No. 4. Short walkways and plazas also fit our definition of tourist attractions; that disqualified the Blue Ridge Parkway. We also omitted beaches, bridges, and sites that draw almost exclusively religious pilgrims.

Read more on Travel + Leisure:

• America's Best Cities for Fall Travel
• World's Coolest New Tourist Attractions
• America's Favorite Towns
• The Best Budget Airlines
• Best Countries for Solo Travelers

25. St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City, Italy

Annual Visitors: 11,000,000

One of the holiest Catholic sites, St. Peter’steems with ornate gold, marble columns, paintings of angels, iconic statues, and works created by a who’s who of Renaissance artists, including Raphael, Brunelleschi, Bernini, and Michelangelo, who sculpted the marble Pietà and designed the massive dome.

For a nominal fee, you can climb 320 steps to the top and soak up the most famous panorama of Rome.

Source: Italian Government Tourist Board

24. Epcot, Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, FL

Annual Visitors: 11,229,000

Built to honor the late Walt Disney’s utopian ideal of the innovative future (the name is an acronym for Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow), Epcot attracts guests who skew a little older than those of its neighbor, the Magic Kingdom. Restaurants are aimed at more sophisticated palates, and annual celebrations include a flower and garden show and an international food and wine festival.

Perennial favorite rides like Soarin’, Mission: SPACE, and The Seas with Nemo & Friends keep the kids and kids-at-heart happy. Expect visits to the Norway pavilion to spike when a Frozen-themed ride debuts in 2016.

Source: TEA/AECOM Global Attractions Attendance Report

23. San Antonio River Walk, San Antonio, TX

Annual Visitors: 11,500,000

Cypress-lined cobble-and-flagstone paths meander for four miles along both sides of the narrow San Antonio River. Locals and visitors come to the River Walk’s horseshoe-shaped loop downtown to browse shops and hang out at restaurants like Boudro’s for a prickly-pear margarita and guacamole prepared tableside.

The Museum Reach river walk section stretches an additional 1.7 miles north, past art installations under every bridge and the San Antonio Museum of Art.

Source: San Antonio River Walk (Paseo del Rio)

At the end the summer of 2014, a vast contingent of MINI owners drove from San Francisco to Boston, with plenty of stops along the way.

Skateboarding personality and entrepreneur — and MINI owner — Tony Hawk kicked off the event According to MINI USA, 350 owners made the entire ride from the West Coast to the East.

Each participant paid $45 to join in. MINI estimated that the total group amounted to 1,000 rallyists, plus 100 pets, all taking part in "MINI Takes the States."

Skateboarding legend Tony Hawk got the rally rolling in San Francisco.

A wide variety of MINIs made the run from Nevada to Utah.

Along the way, the MINIs have visited vintage fighter planes.

Established in 1789 by George Washington, the US Marshals Service is the oldest law enforcement agency in the country.

As the enforcement arm of the US Federal Courts, the Marshals are tasked with capturing fugitives, serving federal arrest warrants, transporting prisoners, and overseeing the witness protection program.

The job puts agents directly in the way of the most dangerous criminals in the nation.

Photographer Brian Finke recently shadowed a US Marshal to get the inside view of what may be the most dangerous job in America.

Finke shared a number of the photos with us here, but the rest are collected in a new book out by PowerHouse books, “U.S. Marshals,"available here.

Finke first became connected with the Marshals service because a friend from his high school, Cameron Welch, was a Deputy US Marshal. Welch works in the fugitive investigation division, which works with local and federal law enforcement to track down the most dangerous fugitives and assist in high-profile investigations.

After reconnecting, Welch offered Finke to come on a series of ride-alongs. On the first ride-along, Welch was tasked with assisting the Texas Rangers with capturing an escapee from a Texas prison. "We were driving 120 miles per hour on the freeway going to get this escaped convict. It was incredible to see," Finke told the Alexia Foundation. 

Marshals don't care whether a fugitive is guilty or not and they don't solve crimes. Their only job is to find and apprehend the target. "This is really a big game, a mental and physical game," a US Marshal told the Washington Post."The bandit's job is to run; our job is to catch him."

Just because they aren't solving a crime, doesn't mean there isn't a lot of investigating. To track down fugitives, Marshals have to parse information given by relatives, search through databases for clues as to their whereabouts, and sit through days-long stakeouts. Then they have to apprehend the fugitive.

Raids can be extremely dangerous. Marshals often have to storm through doors without knowing what or who is on the other side. Fugitives are not always cooperative.

Marshals generally carry a Glock 40 as their primary handgun, but they also will carry AR-15 rifles in certain cases.

One time, Welch was tasked with investigating a man that had been threatening a federal judge. When Welch and his partner arrived, the man stormed out of his apartment with a pistol pointed at Welch. He says it was one of the closest calls of his career.

It can be an emotionally draining profession. Welch says he's been in situations where fugitives commit suicide when they arrive to avoid going back to prison.

The Marshals are not without a sense of humor. Welch frequently plays music when preparing for raids. Once, after apprehending a fugitive, his car began playing Jay-Z's "On To The Next One," as he placed the handcuffed man in the car. People in the neighborhood were startled.

Despite the dangers, Welch says that the profession is "addictive." As soon as he closes one case, he's excited to get started on the next one. "It's dangerous, but its rewarding to know that I'm making a difference in other people's lives..." Welch told Edith Zimmerman in the foreword to the book.

"For me it was amazing, putting on bullet proof vests and riding in right behind them. I had total respect for what they do," Finke said of the project in an interview with the Alexia Foundation. "It was just such an amazing experience – being there with them and being in awe of what they do." 

SEE ALSO: Inside The Dangerous Underground World Of Bounty Hunters And Bail Bondsmen

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Since LinkedIn opened up its publishing platform in February, the site has seen its users write an average of 40,000 posts per month. 

The company decided to compile a list of some of the best, most memorable posts it found this year. 

Here are the ones we thought offer the most helpful career and management advice.

Read it here. 

Read it here. 

S&P 500 companies will pay out $1.1 trillion to investors in the form of stock buybacks and dividends in 2015. This is according to Goldman Sachs' Amanda Sneider.

Buybacks will grow 18% next year after a 26% gain in 2014. S&P 500 companies are also expected to increase dividend payouts at a 7% annualized rate through 2017.

"Although we expect a gradual shift toward investing for growth via capital expenditures and M&A as confidence in the US economy grows, the popularity of dividends and buybacks should continue, particularly given the risks posed by struggling economies in Europe and Asia," Sneider wrote.

We drew on Goldman's "Total Cash Return to Shareholders" basket to highlight the stocks with the largest combined realized buyback and dividend yields. Total yield is calculated as the sum of gross buybacks and dividends as a share of market cap. These 15 stocks have a total yield greater than 14%. Note: they are not intended to serve as a well-diversified portfolio.

L-3 Communications Holdings: 14.2% total yield

Ticker: LLL

Sector: Industrials

Market Cap: $10 billion

Buyback yield: 11.6%

Dividend yield: 2.7%

Description: L-3 is a provider of electronic and communication products in aerospace and national security.  

Source: Goldman Sachs

Abbott Laboratories: 14.7% total yield

Ticker: ABT

Sector: Health Care

Market Cap: $66 billion

Buyback yield: 12.6%

Dividend yield: 2.1%

Description: Abbott Laboratories is a North Chicago- based pharmaceuticals and health care products provider. It developed the first HIV screening test. 

Source: Goldman Sachs

WellPoint Inc: 14.7% total yield

Ticker: WLP

Sector: Health Care

Market Cap: $35 billion

Buyback yield: 12.8%

Dividend yield: 1.9%

Description: WellPoint is a medical insurance and health care services provider based in Indiana, Indianapolis.

Source: Goldman Sachs

Chris Burkard is an adventure photographer made famous for his photoshoots in Iceland, where he's captured icy surf sessions, weddings, and even a Super Bowl commercial.

During his most recent trip to Iceland, Burkard used one of Lytro's magical Illum cameras, which are known for their so-called "living pictures" that let you explore the photo by clicking on different areas to bring the tiniest details into focus.

From towering glaciers to hammocks strung up between two icebergs, Burkard's interactive photos are both beautiful and fun to explore.

Luckily, you can experience Burkard's living photos yourself, just remember to click around different areas to bring new details into focus.

This photo was taken in front of the Seljalandsfoss waterfall.

For this photo, Burkard and his team brought a surfboard to the cold beach at Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon.

On the laval field outside Iceland's capital, Reykjavík, green moss covers the rocky ground.

Warren Buffett, the billionaire "Oracle of Omaha" continues to be involved in some of the biggest investment plays in the world.

Buffett is undoubtedly the most successful investor in history. His investment philosophy is no secret, and he has repeatedly shared bits and pieces of it through a lifetime of quips and memorable quotes.

His brilliance is timeless, and we find ourselves referring back to them over and over again.

We compiled a few of Buffett's best quotes from his TV appearances, newspaper op-eds, magazine interviews, and of course his annual letters.

Buying a stock is about more than just the price.

"It's far better to buy a wonderful company at a fair price than a fair company at a wonderful price."

Source: Letter to shareholders, 1989

You don't have to be a genius to invest well.

"You don't need to be a rocket scientist. Investing is not a game where the guy with the 160 IQ beats the guy with 130 IQ."

Source: Warren Buffett Speaks, via msnbc.msn

But, master the basics.

"To invest successfully, you need not understand beta, efficient markets, modern portfolio theory, option pricing or emerging markets. You may, in fact, be better off knowing nothing of these. That, of course, is not the prevailing view at most business schools, whose finance curriculum tends to be dominated by such subjects. In our view, though, investment students need only two well-taught courses - How to Value a Business, and How to Think About Market Prices."

Source: Chairman's Letter, 1996

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Jee Young Lee works within a small, 160-square-foot studio.

She makes all of the props in her photos by hand.

Her work records her process of growing up.

Staying in an Airbnb rental offers travelers a unique alternative to the traditional hotel. 

From yurts to treehouses, there's a ton of variety for the more adventurous traveler. 

Airbnb also has an impressive selection of sailboats and houseboats that any water lover would enjoy. We've rounded up some of the best of them here.

Landlubbers need not apply.

Float in a Chinese teak-wood boat in Hong Kong.

The bedroom is air-conditioned, and a complimentary breakfast is provided each morning. There's only one bedroom, but the upper suite room can also be reserved for an additional fee. 

Cost: $95/night

Accommodates: 6

Location: Wong Chuk Hang, Hong Kong

Live your California dream on this sailboat.

Colorful interiors make for a fun getaway, and all of the hot Los Angeles spots are a quick trip away.

Cost: $215/night

Accommodates: 4

Location: Marina del Rey, California

Hop aboard an antique freighter in Amsterdam.

 The boat was built in the 1930s but has a modern central heating system. The neighbors like to swim in the water around the boat when the weather is warm. 

Cost: $115/night

Accommodates: 2

Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands

When it comes to college sports, there are powerhouses and then there's everyone else.

Business Insider has compiled a list of the schools that run the most dominating sports programs from top to bottom

To create the ranking we used data compiled by Niche for its college rankings as well as athletic department revenues compiled by USA Today.

A number of factors go into the rankings with the most weight given to athletics revenue, Niche's NCAA championship score (with more weight given to bigger sports), average home football attendance, average home men's basketball attendance, as well as Niche's student survey responses.

#20 University of Arizona

2013 athletic department revenue: $68.5 million

Average Home Football Attendance: 47,619

Average Home Men's Basketball Attendance: 14,157

NCAA Championship Score¹: 15

Student Surveys on Athletics: 3.9 out of 5

"Football is really big at the University of Arizona and our student section gets pretty huge for games to the point that they have to turn people away at the doors because of overcrowding. Basketball is an even bigger deal because how great the team is. Everyone here at this school and even in Tucson support the basketball team and is known as one of the favorite seasons of the year."

Visit Niche for more on the University of Arizona

1 Number of NCAA Championships won since 2000 across Division I, II, and III. Eight sports are measured, including football, men's and women's basketball, baseball, softball, men's and women's soccer, and hockey. Championships were weighted by division and sport, with Division I getting a 3x multiplier and Division II getting a 2x multiplier. Football and men's basketball received a 3x multiplier, and baseball and hockey received a 2x multiplier. FCS Football was also included but did not receive a multiplier.

#19 Syracuse University

2013 athletic department revenue: unavailable (private institution)

Average Home Football Attendance: 38,277

Average Home Men's Basketball Attendance: 22,439

NCAA Championship Score¹: 9

Student Surveys on Athletics: 4.0 out of 5

"The Carrier Dome is probably the best collegiate arena in the country. Syracuse loves its sports, and you can really tell on campus. We pride ourselves on sports (especially basketball) and it is really a bonding experience for everyone. There is a huge variety of intramural sports (even Quidditch!) and people love to get involved."

Visit Niche for more on Syracuse University

1 Number of NCAA Championships won since 2000 across Division I, II, and III. Eight sports are measured, including football, men's and women's basketball, baseball, softball, men's and women's soccer, and hockey. Championships were weighted by division and sport, with Division I getting a 3x multiplier and Division II getting a 2x multiplier. Football and men's basketball received a 3x multiplier, and baseball and hockey received a 2x multiplier. FCS Football was also included but did not receive a multiplier.

#18 Florida State University

2013 athletic department revenue: $91.4 million

Average Home Football Attendance: 75,421

Average Home Men's Basketball Attendance: 7,537

NCAA Championship Score¹: 9

Student Surveys on Athletics: 4.1 out of 5

"Students love going to football games, a lot of fan support. A LOT of school spirit , many kids have FSU stickers on cars, bikes, etc. The athletic facilities are great , very big and a big part of the school."

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1 Number of NCAA Championships won since 2000 across Division I, II, and III. Eight sports are measured, including football, men's and women's basketball, baseball, softball, men's and women's soccer, and hockey. Championships were weighted by division and sport, with Division I getting a 3x multiplier and Division II getting a 2x multiplier. Football and men's basketball received a 3x multiplier, and baseball and hockey received a 2x multiplier. FCS Football was also included but did not receive a multiplier.

There were 123,109 foreclosure filings on homes during October, according to RealtyTrac.

Filings were down 8% year-on-year, but up 15% from the previous month – the highest such increase since March 2010.

Foreclosure filings include notices on defaults, scheduled auctions and bank repossessions.  

Banks mostly suspend foreclosures during the holidays, so there's usually an uptick in foreclosures in October, averaging 8%, said Daren Blomquist, vice president of RealtyTrac.

"But the sheer magnitude of the increase this year demonstrates there is more than just a seasonal pattern at work," Blomquist said in a press release. "Distressed properties that have been in a holding pattern for years are finally being cleared for landing at the foreclosure auction."

Foreclosure auctions totaled 59,869 properties last month, up 24% from September and the highest level since May 2013. Miami, Orlando, and Tampa were the metros with the highest foreclosure rates.

We drew on RealtyTrac's report to highlight the 14 states with the highest foreclosure rates last month. Note: The states are ranked by foreclosure rate, i.e., one in every X homes received a foreclosure filing.

14. Washington

One in every 1,131 homes received a foreclosure filing in October 2014.

Properties with foreclosure filings: 2,549

Change from September 2014: 27.64%

Change from October 2013: 10.54%

Source: RealtyTrac

13. Pennsylvania

One in every 1,126 homes received a foreclosure filing in October 2014.

Properties with foreclosure filings: 4,940

Change from September 2014: 25.60%

Change from October 2013: -1.53%

Source: RealtyTrac

12. Utah

One in every 957 homes received a foreclosure filing in October 2014.

Properties with foreclosure filings: 1,024

Change from September 2014: 60.00%

Change from October 2013: 26.54%

Source: RealtyTrac

We recently asked you to vote for the best places for women to shop.  

The results are in, and we're ready to reveal where ladies like to get their apparel and accessories. 

Banana Republic, which is experiencing a surge in popularity, dominated the workwear category. 

Amazon dominated e-commerce, a sign that the retailer's recent efforts in the fashion industry could be paying off. 

Michael Kors and Victoria's Secret also had strong showings. 

Nearly 400 Business Insider readers took the survey. 

Best Party Dresses: BCBG (42%).

BCBG won the women's vote, with fast-fashion retailer Zara coming in second (26%). Other options included Kate Spade (12%), Express (8%), White House Black Market (7%), and DKNY (5%). 

 Source: BCBG on Facebook

Best Work Dresses: Banana Republic (35%).

Banana Republic's professional attire won out over competitors J. Crew (23%), Anne Taylor LOFT (20%), Zara (11%), White House Black Market (5%), Asos (4%), and Kenneth Cole (3%). 

Source: Banana Republic on Facebook

Best Suits: Banana Republic (22.3%).

Once again, Banana Republic dominated the workwear category. J. Crew came in a very close second, with 21.8% of the vote, while Ann Taylor garnered 19%. Classic retailer Brooks Brothers received 15% of the vote. Other options were Club Monaco (12%), Express (8%), and White House Black Market (2%).  

Source: BananaRepublic.com