 |
USM News Release
The Princeton Review Names University of
Saint Mary a 2012 ‘Best Midwestern College’
 |
USM Lands Honor for Seventh Consecutive Year
(Leavenworth, Kan.)—The University of Saint Mary has been named a “Best Midwestern College” by The Princeton Review, an honored distinction earned by USM now for seven consecutive years.
USM was one of only 153 Midwestern schools to make the cut, and only about 25 percent of the nation’s 2,500 four-year colleges are included on one of the organization’s four regional lists. In the Kansas City area, only USM, the University of Central Missouri, University of Missouri-Kansas City, William Jewell, and Baker earned distinction as a “Best Midwestern College.”
The Princeton Review selects schools for its regional best-of lists based on the results of independent student surveys and an institution’s record of strong academics. The complete lists can be found online at www.PrincetonReview.com. Schools on the regional list are not ranked. USM’s Midwestern region includes colleges from Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
“We're pleased to recommend the University of Saint Mary to users of our site as one of the best schools to earn their undergrad degree,” said Robert Franek, Princeton Review’s vice president of publishing. “We chose it and the other terrific institutions we name as ‘regional best’ colleges mainly for their excellent academic programs. We also take into account what students reported to us about their campus experiences.”
The Princeton Review asks students to rate their own schools on several issues—from the accessibility of their professors to quality of the campus food—and answer questions about themselves, their fellow students, and their campus life.
Students responding to the survey on USM said Saint Mary offers “a ‘quality’ liberal arts education…with a personal touch.” Students said the campus is full of “friendly people who are always willing to do what it takes to solve your problem.” They added that “intelligent professors” are the “school’s greatest strength” and they create “a close-knit community of students who are expected to think.”
Dr. Bryan Le Beau, vice president for academic affairs at the University of Saint Mary, noted that “standard measures of academic quality play a major part in the Princeton Review rankings, as they should. But they also take other important factors into consideration, including what students have to say about the institution. With that in mind, I would encourage all students to take a look at USM and see why we’re a ‘Best Midwestern College.’”
The Princeton Review is headquartered in Framingham, Mass., with editorial offices in New York City and test prep locations across the country and abroad. The company provides resources to research, apply to, prepare for, and learn how to pay for higher education. It also offers college readiness and test prep services.
|
|
 |
