Baylor Featured in The Princeton Review College Guide, 'The Best 361 Colleges - 2006 Edition'

by Lori Fogleman (254) 710-6275 or cell (254) 709-5959

Baylor University is one of the nation's best institutions for undergraduate education, according to The Princeton Review.
The New York-based education services company features Baylor in The Best 361 Colleges, the 2006 edition of its annual "best colleges" guide. Only about 15 percent of the four-year colleges in America and two Canadian colleges are in the book, which features two-page profiles on the schools and student survey-based ranking lists of top 20 colleges in the book in various categories.
The book's profile on Baylor commends the school for its "amazing facilities in the classrooms and labs," including "top-of-the-line technology and wireless connections." Also lauded were small class sizes, "great" library, athletic facilities, intramural sports and campus life, including fraternities and sororities, and outstanding academic programs, such as premedical and pre-dental offerings, nursing, engineering, business, pre-law and the seminary.
The ranking lists in The Best 361 Colleges are based on The Princeton Review's survey of 110,000 students attending the colleges in the book. Students rated their schools on several topics and reported on their campus experiences at them. Ranking list categories range from best professors, administration and campus food to lists based on student body political leanings, interests in sports and other aspects of campus life. The Princeton Review posts the book's ranking lists on its website www.PrincetonReview.com.
The college profiles in The Best 361 Colleges also include candid comments from students surveyed at the schools. Among the student comments in the profile on Baylor:
? "Even though we're in the Big 12, you don't feel like just a number here because people really reach out and try to make you feel welcome."
? "Personal attention" is one of the "surprise perks" of attending Baylor, a student wrote. Christian values "are instilled in almost every class, but in a way that doesn't pressure kids to be religious."
? "People are much more free to explore their own beliefs than at many universities that lack a religious affiliation, because faith is something that is so openly and fully discussed.'"
? "Students can find something to be involved in no matter what their interests. There is an organization for everyone, from those interested in sororities and fraternities to those interested in video games or anime."
"The main factor in our selection of schools in the book was our high regard for their academic programs," said Robert Franek, vice president of publishing for The Princeton Review. "We evaluated them based on institutional data we collect about the schools, feedback from students at them, and visits to schools over the years. We also considered the opinions of independent college counselors, students and parents we talk to and survey. Finally, we worked to have a wide representation of colleges in the book by region, size, selectivity and character."
The Best 361 Colleges is the 14th edition of The Princeton Review's annual "best colleges" guide. It is one of more than 200 Princeton Review books published by Random House. The Princeton Review, known for its education, admission and test-prep services, is not affiliated with Princeton University or ETS.