The Best 361 Colleges — 2006 Edition
(The Princeton Review)

The Princeton Review avoids “using any sort of mathematical calculations or formulas” in compiling its annual college guide. Instead it builds its list of the top 10 percent of colleges in the nation through consultation with a variety of expert sources.

One of those sources is a Web-based survey of current students. The editors describe their survey as “qualitative and anecdotal rather than quantitative” and admit that some “college administrators find this book hard to accept.” Earlham’s students have not been surveyed by The Princeton Review since 2004. When they were, a copy of the student survey results was shared in advance with Earlham administrators, who involved the co-conveners of student government in reviewing the draft and responding to the editors.

Earlham was pleased with ratings of Academics (88 on a scale of 60-99) and Admissions Selectivity (88 on a scale of 60-99). Both of these areas are among the College's key agenda items. With a Phi Beta Kappa chapter and emphasis on quality instruction, Earlham strives to engage students as active members of a learning community.

Earlham’s administrators tend to view The Princeton Review rankings with a critical eye. We are concerned at the way the guide encourages extreme and outspoken comments, and at the harm done to schools by the negative categories that the guide promotes with the media — “Party Schools,” “Dodge-Ball Targets,” “Reefer Madness.” College officials doubt that editors choose quotes based on their representative nature, seeing a heavy reliance on exaggeration and hype. However, Earlham’s student leaders believe that prospective students enjoy the humor and understand that these are opinions. They trust that intelligent student readers will take a light-hearted approach to the more sensational content. We encourage readers of The Best 61 Colleges to keep an open mind and check out the facts.

The Best 361 Colleges begins with a section of category rankings. The editors point out that these rankings, based on student survey results, “do not reflect our opinions, nor do they perfectly reflect reality….” Earlham appears in lists of the top 20 schools in two categories: “More to Do on Campus” (11th) and “Students Nostalgic for Bill Clinton” (10th); Earlham is among 158 colleges Princeton Review named as “Best Midwestern Colleges.”

Among student comments incorporated in Earlham’s The Best 361 Colleges profile, you’ll find:

“We are encouraged to discuss difficult issues, such as issues of diversity of religion, political views, cultural identities, etc., and people don’t have to be afraid to disagree.”

“The underlying Quaker values are what makes this school so great. It has nothing to do with religion and everything to do with community.”

“The small classes and closeness to professors allow for individual planning and independent study opportunities.”

“The thing that I like about extracurriculars here is that they aren’t really ‘extra’ at all. Most students are involved in activities outside of class that are also somehow related to their academic interests.”

“Overall, Earlham is a very tolerant place where students never have to be afraid to disagree.”

Franek, Robert, et.al. The Best 361 Colleges. 2006 Edition. New York: Random House, Inc., 2005.

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This page last updated: August 26, 2005