Seattle University Included in 2021 Edition of Princeton Review’s The Best 386 Colleges

The Princeton Review continues to recognize Seattle University as one of the best colleges in the nation for undergraduate education, according to its Best 386 Colleges 2021. The latest edition of the guide marks the 18^th consecutive year that Seattle U has been featured.

Seattle U’s detailed profile for prospective students is available here in the online version of the guide.

The Princeton Review college list is entirely based on surveys of college students, who rate their schools on dozens of topics and report on their overall campus experiences. In all, 143,000 students were surveyed. (Only about 13 percent of U.S. four-year colleges are featured.)

The Princeton Review’s 85-question survey asks students about their professors, administrators, school services, campus culture and other facets of college life.

“There’s probably no better testament to the quality of a Seattle U education than from students who attend the university,” says Provost Shane P. Martin. “It's clear that our unique Jesuit character, rigorous academics taught by a great faculty and inclusive campus community are very important to our students.”

In the guide, students comment about academics, the campus and the student body. At Seattle University, respondents cite the university’s highly regarded academic offerings and Jesuit philosophy. Students also gave high marks to the value of the Core Curriculum, commenting “often times the Core classes that they are required to take ended up being the most memorable classes.” The dynamic professors “ensure the students have a chance not only to digest and memorize the information but also a chance to critically think about it and discuss different viewpoints.” The university’s commitment to social justice is “more than just rhetoric. There are classes structured around specific kinds of service learning.”

Overall, “students are creative, insightful and dedicated to making their educational experience unique and personal. Community is strongly felt among students and staff.” Seattle U is a place where “all faiths are not only accepted, but they are welcomed and encouraged.” Students also like the university’s urban location yet proximity to mountains and waterways and appreciate the importance of sustainability in the campus culture.

On that last point, of note: Seattle U is ranked in the Top 20 in Sierra magazine’s Cool Schools 2019 ranking and is #21 in The Princeton Review’s Guide to Green Colleges: 2019 Edition.

“Since 1992, our goal in publishing college rankings—and our ongoing mission at The Princeton Review—is to help students find, get accepted to and thrive at the colleges best for them,” says Robert Franek, editor-in-chief at The Princeton Review. “We recommend every one of the 386 colleges in the new edition of our book as a ‘best’ choice and we salute them for their exceptional offerings, especially during this extremely challenging academic year.”