Princeton Review’s The Best 379 Colleges: 2015 Edition hits bookstores today, a survey that asked 130,000 students at 379 top colleges and universities to rate their schools on dozens of topics and report on their campus experiences. For the second time, Claremont McKenna placed No. 1 in the category “Their Students Love These Colleges,” a category introduced by the Princeton Review in 2013, at which time CMC also made the top of the list.
(Watch the video and read more about Claremont McKenna’s No. 1 ranking in 2013 for "Their Students Love These Colleges.”)
Results are determined by student feedback on surveys. On average, Princeton Review receives responses from about 343 students per campus, up from 125 before the survey was launched online.
“Every college in our book offers outstanding academics,” noted Robert Franek, the guide's author and Princeton Review senior vice president/publisher. “These colleges differ significantly in their program offerings, campus culture, locales, and cost.”
The purpose, he said, is not to crown one college 'best' overall, or to rank the 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,” Franek said.
“If Claremont McKenna College has become the No.1 college that students love, we naturally thank the faculty, staff, alumni, parents, and other supporters of the College who have given so much of themselves,” CMC Vice President for Student Affairs Jefferson Huang has said. “I would also include the students themselves, who are a great motivator for us to do the things we do.”
According to the 2015 Best Colleges edition, here is a partial listing of categories in which Claremont McKenna appears. Links to a complete list and methodology are below:
- 1 Their Students Love These Colleges
- 2 Best-Run Colleges
- 2 Most Accessible Professors
- 2 Happiest Students
- 3 Best Career Services
- 4 Best Quality of Life
- 8 Most Politically Active Students
- 8 Great Financial Aid
- 8 Lots of Race/Class Interaction
The Best 379 Colleges Rankings
Princeton Review’s Student Survey Behind the Rankings: How They Do It
What Each of Their College Rating Scores is Based On
Princeton Review’s 2015 Best Colleges: Region by Region