News Article

Gonzaga University is among the nation’s 361 best colleges for undergraduate education, according to The Princeton Review. The New York City-based education services company includes GU in its “Best 361 Colleges,” 2007 edition of its annual “best colleges” guide.

The 361 schools listed are not ranked in order of excellence, however many are included in five dozen lists by various categories. Gonzaga is ranked No. 9 in the category “Students Pack the Stadiums,” and is among the 122 schools named a “Best Western College” by the publication.

Gonzaga scored 85 percent (out of 100 percent) in its academic rating, 89 percent on its student selectivity/admission rating, and 79 percent on the quality-of-life rating.

Rankings for the lists are based solely on student surveys. A school’s appearance on these lists indicates a high consensus among its surveyed students about the topic. Rankings for the lists “Best Academics” and “Toughest to Get Into” factor in institutional data. No list is based on the publication’s opinion of the schools.

“From the professors to the groundskeepers, the people make Gonzaga what it is,” notes the book section notes about Gonzaga (on pages 242-243). “Students at this Jesuit university agree, citing ‘the very positive vibe to the whole university’ as the school’s greatest asset.”

The 80-question survey asked students about their school’s academics/administration, campus life, student body, and themselves. Ranking list tallies are based on surveys of 115,000 students (about 300 per campus) at the 361 schools included in the book during the 2005-06 and/or previous two school years. Ninety-three percent were done online at http://survey.review.com; 7 percent were paper surveys conducted on campuses.

The publication’s stated goal is to identify some of the best colleges and universities in each region.

“We consider these colleges the best in the nation academically,” says Robert Franek, author of the book at The Princeton Review. “But the real challenge for applicants and parents is finding the college that’s best for them. That’s why our profiles and unique ranking lists report in depth what the colleges’ customers – the students themselves – tell us about their schools and their experiences at them.”

The 2007 edition of The Princeton Review book “Best 361 Colleges” (Random House / Princeton Review, $21.95), goes on sale today (Aug. 22). The book’s ranking are posted online at www.PrincetonReview.com.

The Princeton Review is a company known for its test-preparation courses, education services, and books. It is not affiliated with Princeton University.