Westminster College: “Best in the Midwest”
With student input citing “cream of the crop” professors who are more “helpful and accessible” than at other schools, Westminster College in Fulton, MO has been praised once more by The Princeton Review, a nationally known education services company that ranks colleges and universities, as one of the “Best in the Midwest.”
Overall, only 25% of all the four-year colleges and universities in the nation are selected for recognition on one of the four regional lists. The Princeton Review also recognizes schools in the Northeast, West, and Southeast regions.
“In total, 643 schools received this designation from us – a select group indeed,” says Robert Franek, Senior Vice President of Publishing for The Princeton Review. “From hundreds of institutions we considered in each region, we selected these schools primarily for their excellent academic programs. We winnowed our list based on institutional data we collected directly from the schools, our visits to the schools over the years, and the opinions of our staff, plus college counselors and advisors whose recommendations we invite.”
Schools are rated according to academics, admissions selectivity, financial aid, fire safety, quality of life and environmental awareness.
The other major factor used in evaluating colleges and universities is student input. Students attending a school are asked to rate their school on the accessibility of their professors, the quality of their facilities and equipment and the quality of campus life.
“We take into account what students at the schools reported to us,” says Franek. “Only schools that permit us to independently survey their students are eligible to be considered for our regional ‘best’ lists.”
Comments from surveyed students are quoted in the school profiles on The Princeton Review site. The profiles also have a “Survey Says” list that reveals topic about which the students surveyed at the school were in highest agreement.
Westminster students surveyed remarked about the “excellent classes and academic standards” and the level of “individual attention” they receive. They like that they feel safe on campus and “there is always something to do no matter who you are or what you like.”
One student stated:
“Westminster is more than just a school; it’s a home and a community. It wasn’t just a place to go get an education but rather a place to learn to grow up.”
The Princeton Review does not rank the 643 colleges in its “2014 Best Colleges: Region by Region” list. Only 155 colleges and universities in twelve states were selected for the “Best of the Midwest” honor. In addition to Missouri, honorees were selected from Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
Founded in 1981, The Princeton Review is a privately held education services company headquartered in Framingham, MA and has long been a leader in helping students achieve their education and career goals through its services and publications.
