The Federal Bureau of Investigation has been gathering information regarding the nation's crime statistics since 1930. Data such as homicides, property crimes, and weapons seized are just a small part of the collection that is compiled and published for use by researchers, politicians, and city leaders.

But the figures can also be a tool for everyday citizens. Every year, the FBI produces the Uniform Crime Report that includes data on the nation's hundreds of colleges and universities. The numbers are based on the previous year. Ahead of the 2015 data release later in the spring of 2016, but just as students are receiving acceptance letters or gearing up for college visits, Chron looks at the 2014 numbers from institutions of higher education across the country.