PRINCETON REVIEW'S ANNUAL COLLEGE RANKINGS

BASED ON 122,000 STUDENT SURVEYS
ARE OUT NOW IN ITS "BEST 377 COLLEGES – 2013 EDITION" GUIDEBOOK

• 62 Ranking Lists Report Top 20 Colleges in Categories from Profs to Politics to Financial Aid

NEW YORK, August 20, 2012 — According to a survey by The Princeton Review that asked 122,000 students at 377 top colleges to rate their schools on dozens of topics and report on their opinions and campus experiences at them, the best professors are at Sarah Lawrence College (NY). The college at which students are happiest with their financial aid (a keenly followed issue) is Princeton University (NJ). However, the college at which students report the highest overall satisfaction with their school choice is Claremont McKenna College (CA).

The Princeton Review reports the top 20 ranking colleges in these and 59 other categories on its website, www.PrincetonReview.com and in the 2013 edition of its book, "The Best 377 Colleges" (Random House / Princeton Review Books) on sale tomorrow in a print edition ($23.99) and a new enhanced eBook edition ($14.99). 

Of interest to those following student political leanings this election year: the #1 school on the book's list, "Most Conservative Students" is Texas A&M University while Bard College (NY) tops the "Most Liberal Students" list.  Ranking #1 for "Most Politically Active Students" is American University (DC). 

Other lists in the book reveal the colleges at which students most highly rated their school's administrators, career services, health center, campus food, and dorms. The book's 62 ranking lists will post today on www.PrincetonReview.com as will the book's profiles of the colleges, which feature unique rating scores. The Princeton Review scores every school in the book from 60 to 99 in eight categories including Financial Aid, Fire Safety, and Green.

"Each of our 377 best colleges offers outstanding academics," says Robert Franek, the book's author and Princeton Review Senior VP / Publisher. "We don't rank them 1 to 377, because they differ widely in their program offerings and campus culture, and that is their strength. Instead, we tally lists of the top 20 schools in 62 categories based entirely on what students at these schools tell us about their campus experiences.  Our goal is not to crown one college 'best' overall, but to help applicants find and get in to the college best for them." 

Other ranking lists in "The Best 377 Colleges" and #1 colleges on them are:

• Most Beautiful Campus – Florida Southern College (FL)
• Best Administered College – Elon University (NC)
• Best Career Services – Northeastern University (MA)
• Best Campus Food – Bowdoin College (ME)
• Best College Dorms – Washington University in St. Louis (MO)
• Happiest Students – Rice University (TX)
• LGBT-Friendly – Emerson College (MA)
• Most Religious Students – Brigham Young University (UT)
• Best Town-Gown Relations – Clemson University (SC)
• Top Stone-Cold Sober Schools – Brigham Young University (UT)
• Top Party Schools – West Virginia University
• Students Pack the Stadium – University of Notre Dame (IN)
• Best Athletic Facilities – U.S. Military Academy (NY)

About the rankings and survey

The book's 62 ranking lists are based on surveys of 122,000 students (average 324 per campus) at the schools in the book during the 2011-12 and/or previous two school years. About 84% of the schools in the book appear on one or more its ranking lists. The 80-question survey asked students about their school's academics, administration, campus life, student body, and themselves. The surveys were completed at http://survey.review.com.

About the ratings

The eight rating scores (60 to 99) are based primarily on institutional data collected during 2011-12. Three "Honor Rolls" in the book salute schools that received the highest score (99) for Financial Aid, Green, and Fire Safety. Other rating categories include Admissions Selectivity and Academics.

About the book

Annually published since 1992, "The Best 377 Colleges" is one of 150 Princeton Review books published by Random House. In addition to its profiles of the colleges and 62 ranking lists, the book includes lists of "Great Schools for 20 Popular College Majors" and of "150 Best Value Colleges" plus other resources.  No school has ever paid a fee to be profiled in the book. 

The Princeton Review is an education services company known for its test-prep courses, tutoring, books, and other student resources. Headquartered in Framingham, MA, with editorial offices in New York and locations across the U.S.A. and abroad, the Princeton Review, which is a privately held company, is not affiliated with Princeton University.

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SOURCE: Random House / Princeton Review Books

WEBSITE: http://www.princetonreview.com

CONTACT: Jeanne Krier, Random House / Princeton Review, 212-539-1350, or Kristen O'Toole, Princeton Review, 888-347-7737 ext 1405, kotoole@review.com

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