The Princeton Review names Randolph College one of the top colleges in the nation…again

Randolph College has once again been recognized as one of the nation’s best institutions for undergraduate education, according to The Princeton Review. The education services company featured Randolph in the new 2015 edition of its annual college guide, The Best 379 Colleges (Random House / Princeton Review, $23.99, August 5, 2014).

In addition to being recognized by The Princeton Review as one of the nation’s top colleges, Randolph was also recognized as one of the best southeastern colleges as well as one of the top 20 colleges in the nation on three of the book’s national rankings lists: “Professors Get High Marks,” “Best College Theater,” and “Lots of Race/Class Interaction.”

Only about 15 percent of America’s 2,500 four-year colleges and only four colleges outside the U.S. are profiled in the book, which is The Princeton Review’s flagship college guide. It includes detailed profiles of the colleges with rating scores for all schools in eight categories, plus ranking lists of top 20 schools in the book in 62 categories based on The Princeton Review’s surveys of 130,000 students attending the colleges.

“Randolph offers outstanding academics, which is the chief reason we selected it for the book,” said Rob Franek, Princeton Review’s senior vice president / publisher and author of The Best 379 Colleges. “We base our choices primarily on data we obtain in our annual surveys of administrators at these schools and at hundreds of other colleges. We take into account input we get from our staff, our 27-member National College Counselor Advisory Board, our personal visits to schools, and the sizable amount of feedback we get from our surveys of students attending these schools. We also work to maintain a wide representation of colleges in the book by region, size, selectivity and character.”

In its profile on Randolph, The Princeton Review praised the College for its student-emphasis, quoting extensively from the students surveyed for the book. “You’re not just a number; you matter as an individual,” the book quoted students as saying. “Indeed, this ‘small, tight-knit community’ instantly ‘makes you feel welcome.’”

The Princeton Review said students at Randolph are grateful they attend a college that “promotes self discovery, personal growth, and individuality.” Further, “small class sizes” allow for an “emphasis on student-professor relationships,” a hallmark of a Randolph education.

One undergrad happily confirmed, “My academic experience has been challenging, there’s no doubt, but the professor support has made that challenge enjoyable and exciting.” A fellow student agreed, sharing, “My professors are excellent. Everyone I have had here has been supremely knowledgeable, understanding and helpful to students. The number one goal is always to make students better thinkers.”

The Princeton Review also praised Randolph for its active campus life. According to students quoted in the book, “Life at Randolph is always busy and exciting.” One ecstatic student said, “I don’t think I have [been] bored [since] the day I stepped foot on this campus.”

The diversity of Randolph’s student body was also recognized. Students surveyed for the book said their peers were “hardworking, artistic, and caring” as well as “intelligent,” “unafraid to speak their minds,” and “committed to doing excellent work.”

In a “Survey Says” sidebar in the book’s profile on Randolph, The Princeton Review lists topics that Randolph students surveyed for the book were in most agreement about in their answers to survey questions. The list includes: “students are happy,” “lab facilities are great,” “no one cheats,” “students get along with the local community,” “campus feels safe,” and “active student government.”

Randolph Earns Spots on Three Rankings Lists

The Princeton Review does not rank the colleges academically or from 1 to 379 in any category. Instead it reports in the book 62 ranking lists of top 20 colleges in various categories. The lists are entirely based on The Princeton Review’s survey of 130,000 students (about 343 per campus on average) attending the colleges. The 80-question survey asks students to rate their schools on several topics and report on their campus experiences at them. Topics range from assessments of their professors as teachers to opinions about their school’s library, career services, and student body’s political leanings. The Princeton Review explains the basis for each ranking list at www.princetonreview.com/college/college-rankings.aspx

“Every college in our book offers outstanding academics,” Franek said. “These colleges differ significantly in their program offerings, campus culture, locales, and cost. Our purpose is not to crown one college ‘best’ overall or to rank these distinctive schools 1 to 379 on any single topic. We present our 62 ranking lists to give applicants the broader base of campus feedback to choose the college that’s best for them.”

Randolph was recognized by The Princeton Review on three of these rankings lists. The College was ranked 20th in the nation for “Professors Get High Marks” and 16th in the nation for both “Best College Theater” and “Lots of Race/Class Interaction.” A rankings guide is available here: http://www.princetonreview.com/college/college-rankings.aspx

The Best 379 Colleges is the 23rd edition of The Princeton Review’s annual Best Colleges book. It is one of 150 Princeton Review books published by Random House in a line that also includes test-prep guides for the ACT, SAT, SAT Subject Tests, and AP exams, plus The Complete Book of Colleges, and Paying for College Without Going Broke.

About Randolph College

Located in Lynchburg, Virginia, Randolph College is a nationally recognized, private, liberal arts and sciences institution known for its excellent academic program, nationally ranked professors, rich traditions, and close, diverse community. Randolph features an innovative learning community where a classic liberal arts education intersects with practical preparation for a rapidly-changing world. Founded in 1891 as Randolph-Macon Woman’s College, Randolph offers academic and co-curricular programs designed to challenge students to develop their intellectual and creative talents and pursue educational opportunities in and out of the college community. The College’s motto, Vita abundantior, (“the life more abundant”) expresses its historical emphasis on the importance of a quality liberal arts education to a rich, full life. To learn more see www.randolphcollege.edu.

About The Princeton Review
The Princeton Review is a leading test preparation and college admission services company. Every year it helps millions of college- and graduate school-bound students achieve their education and career goals through its test preparation, tutoring, and admissions services, its online resources, and its more than 150 print and digital books published by Random House LLC. The Company delivers its services via a network of more than 4,000 teachers and tutors in the U.S.A. and Canada, and through its international franchises in 14 other countries. The Company also partners directly with school districts and non-governmental organizations to provide students with college readiness services including college selection, test preparation, financial aid advice, and admissions support. The Princeton Review is headquartered in Natick, MA. For more information, visit www.princetonreview.com and www.facebook.com/ThePrincetonReview. Follow the Company’s Twitter feed @ThePrincetonRev
# # #
Media Contact for Randolph College: Brenda Edson, bedson@randolphcollege.edu
Media Contacts for The Princeton Review: Jeanne Krier, Princeton Review Books, 212-539-1350 or Kristen O’Toole, Princeton Review, 888-347-7737, ext. 1405 (kotoole@review.com).