The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has been named the number one party school in the country by the Princeton Review – and the chancellor isn’t happy about it. The university claimed the top spot on the list Monday for the first time in more than a decade, knocking Syracuse University – the previous victor – down to No. 5.
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“We chose Kentucky Wesleyan and the other outstanding institutions on this list primarily for their excellent academics”, said Robert Franek, The Princeton Review’s Senior Vice President and Publisher.
The College of Idaho scored 94 (out of 99) in the category “quality of campus life”, with one student telling the Princeton Review that “on campus there is always something going on…I rarely have a night where there isn’t something that I could do for fun”.
Only about 15% of America’s 2,500 four-year colleges and only four colleges outside the U.S. are profiled in the book, which is one of The Princeton Review’s most popular guides. Students commented that, “Professors get to know each student by name and really strive to make connections [to] everyone in their classes”.
It does not rank the schools, but instead identifies and recommends institutions to prospective students and their parents. A student is quoted as saying that “Most students are concerned about the environment and social justice”, while another states that students are “very relaxed for the most part and enjoy the outdoors that this great state provides for us”. Topics range from their assessments of their professors as teachers to opinions about their school’s library, career services, and student body’s political leanings. “It’s an endorsement of our commitment to helping motivated students reach their full potential as well-rounded adults and successful, high-achieving professionals”. The organization bases selections on institutional data and student survey responses.
The 2016 edition of the popular college guide, “The Best 380 Colleges“, was released Tuesday, according to a press release from UL. It was also included on the list of 353 “Green Colleges”.
The Princeton Review is an education services company known for its tutoring, test-prep courses, books and other student resources.
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“It is great validation for a publication like The Princeton Review to recognize Rider as a top-tier university in this region”, Gregory G. Dell’Omo, Ph.D., president of Rider University, said.
