TCNJ News
For Immediate Release
July 28, 2008
Princeton Review’s Best Colleges 2009 Edition Hails The College of New Jersey
TCNJ Ranks 9th for “Happiest Students” and 4th for “Best College Library” Among More Than 2,500 Colleges and Universities
EWING, NJ - The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) is one of the nation’s best institutions for undergraduate education, according to The Princeton Review, which just released its 2009 edition of The Best 368 Colleges. Only about 15% of America’s 2,500-plus four-year colleges and universities are included in the book. TCNJ is among those making the cut and is noted for having the 9th happiest students nationally, the 4th-best college library in the country, and extraordinarily high “admissions selectivity,” “quality of life,” and “green” ratings.
The publication contains two-page profiles of each Best College and survey-based ranking lists of top 20 colleges in several specialty categories. The book also includes ratings (numerical scores from 60 to 99) for special categories tallied by The Princeton Review. Among those is a new “Green Rating” based on the schools' environmentally related practices, policies, and course offerings. TCNJ earned a rating of 91 in this category, along with marks of 93 for admissions selectivity, 94 for quality of life, and 96 for fire safety.
In TCNJ’s profile, The Princeton Review quotes extensively from students surveyed for the book. Among their comments are the following:
Academics
“the best way to get private school education for public school cost.”
“the total package…a beautiful campus, great location, top-notch faculty, the newest technology, an interested student body, and competitive sports teams.”
“professors and advisors will go out of their way to help you, whether it is with your schoolwork, your resume, or your career plans. Not only is the caliber of students high, but the professors are willing to work hard for you so you are willing to work hard for them, too!”
Student Life
“always something planned by the college…(e.g., concerts, art exhibits, guest speakers)”
“Honestly, sometimes it’s hard to say no to some of the stuff going on in order to get some work done.”
Campus
“…gorgeous, with tree-lined paths and brick buildings in the Georgian Colonial style”
Matthew Golden, executive director of communications and public relations at TCNJ, said, "There are two things that make these accolades particularly gratifying. The feedback provided by our actual students is a significant factor in The Princeton Review's methodology, which shows TCNJ students are having a rewarding experience. Also, the fact that our students report to be so happy while still feeling challenged is a rare combination that is a point of pride for the institution."
Robert Franek, Princeton Review's vice president of publishing, said, "We chose schools for this book primarily for their outstanding academics. We evaluated them based on institutional data we collect about the schools, feedback from students attending them, and our visits to schools over the years. We also consider the opinions of independent college counselors, students, and parents we hear from year-long."
The book's ranking lists and school profiles are posted at PrincetonReview.com.
About The College of New Jersey
TCNJ currently is ranked as one of the 75 "Most Competitive" schools in the nation by Barron's Profiles of American Colleges, is rated the No. 1 public institution in the northern region of the country by U.S. News & World Report, and is one of Kiplinger's Personal Finance's top educational values in the country. In 2006, the College joined an elite group of institutions when it was awarded a Phi Beta Kappa chapter. Fewer than 10 percent of the nation's colleges and universities share this honor.
