Cerveny Tubas
Let me reply as a Cerveny owner (actually a 2-Cerveny owner if you count my old oval euph).
I very much like my Cerveny 781 (it's a red brass version of the 681). However, I'd recommend that -- since you'll be using it in college -- you look at some other instruments. The Cerveny horns (particularly the 781, of course, but in general others) tend to be made of thinner/softer brass and hence require more care to avoid damage. I'm absolutely paranoid about mine, and it still has a few tiny dents (over a 25 year period). In college ... well, you can just imagine. Unless you are a major and need a specific horn, then for college I'd go for something that is (a) robust, and (b) not too expensive. (I think that a lot of things that can be said about the Cervenys can also be said about the Miraphones in terms of robustness -- at least in my experience; but I'll let others comment on that.)
Honestly, if I were not planning on a music major, I'd look very seriously at some of the Chinese clones. In fact, in your situation, I'd probably go for the Jin Bao (from someone like Mack Brass or Jim Laabs or MM) EEb compensating horn. These have a great reputation, and they are "all around" tubas -- for around $2,500. And the case they come in is very protective. Otherwise, I'd look at some of the BBb stencil horns if you want to stick with BBb.
In terms of quality, I can tell you that I just got one of the compensating euphoniums (clone of the Yamaha) from Mack Brass and it's MARVELOUS.
Another alternative would be an older King or Conn that maybe wasn't so pretty but sounded good and had good intonation.
Gary Merrill
Wessex EEb Bass tuba (DW 3XL or 2XL)
Mack Brass Compensating Euph (DE N106, Euph J, J9 euph)
Amati Oval Euph (DE 104, Euph J, J6 euph)
1924 Buescher 3-valve Eb tuba (with std US receiver), Kelly 25
Schiller American Heritage 7B clone bass trombone (DE LB K/K10/112/14 Lexan, Brass Ark MV50R)
1947 Olds "Standard" trombone (Olds #3)