Breaking Down the Princeton Review’s Ranking System: What Makes Montana Tech the Best Value College?
Princeton Review, which is not affiliated with the university, surveyed college students and chose schools based on their responses. Only about 14% of America’s colleges are profiled in the Princeton Review’s for-purchase book.
The accolade marks another milestone for Trinity. It extends an exciting year that saw the school make a big entrance on national rankings.
1. Best Value Public University
The Princeton Review, an educational services company, today released its Best Value Colleges 2023 report. Montana Tech earned the top spot among public universities for return on investment.
The college rating company surveyed nearly 30,000 colleges and named them on seven ranking lists. The rankings include a new category called Green Matters that names colleges where students cite strong commitment to sustainability.
The education company also trimmed four lists it had previously created. Dropped were the list of Party Schools and its inverse list, Stone-Cold Sober Schools.
2. Best Value Private College
The Princeton Review, which is known for its education services and test prep courses, ranks schools in dozens of categories. Its annual Best Value Colleges project focuses on the return on investment of a college degree.
The company ranked 209 institutions across the country for their ROI ratings. The list includes public and private colleges. Montana Tech made the top 50 of the best-value private colleges.
The unlimited SAT course comes with access to 16 AAMC practice exams, online drills and study material and proctored practice tests. Princeton also offers generous satisfaction and money back guarantees.
3. Best Value Colleges for 2023
A top public university in the State University of New York system, Plattsburgh is known nationally for its return on investment. Students here receive an excellent education at one of the lowest tuition rates in the state.
The Princeton Review’s Best Value Colleges 2023 ranking is based on 40 data points that cover academics, affordability and career preparation. The Princeton Review lists UF as one of the best college values because it offers students a high-quality education for an affordable price.
4. Best Colleges for Green Matters
American University has a strong commitment to sustainability. The college works to reduce waste sent to landfills and incinerators by building more green buildings and encouraging students to bike, walk, or ride a bus or shuttle to school.
Pepperdine University has been designed to combat climate change in a literal sense, as The Chronicle of Higher Education explains. The school has built facilities to survive wildfires and works with other STEM colleges on sustainable conferences.
Students can get involved in campus initiatives, learn about tips to be more environmentally-friendly, and even help with research on climate change.
5. Best Colleges for Entrepreneurship
The education services company Princeton Review tallied its annual rankings of the top undergraduate and graduate schools for entrepreneurship studies. The 2022 ranking factors in 40 data points, including the percentage of faculty, students and alumni actively involved in entrepreneurial endeavors; the number and reach of mentorship programs; and scholarships and grants for entrepreneurship studies.
The ranking marks a jump for NJIT, which made the top public university in the Northeast for entrepreneurship. The Martin Tuchman School of Management credits its new focus on experiential learning for the boost.
6. Best Colleges for Career Placement (Private Schools)
Students cite the career services department at Princeton as offering exceptional perks, including internship and externship opportunities, networking events with industry experts, one-on-one counseling with career counselors, and an online job board. The university also offers grants to help students take on unpaid internships or research ventures during summer break.
Only about 14 percent of America’s 2,700 four-year colleges are profiled in the Princeton Review book, which is based on information from administrators and surveys of college students. The company also tallied ROI ratings based on its own assessments of each school’s academic offerings.
7. Best Colleges for Undergraduate Game Design
Princeton’s undergraduate game design program is unique in that it looks at video games on an academic level. Students study topics like augmented and virtual reality, how gaming can be used in a classroom environment and the societal impact of games.
Located in one of America’s premier college towns, Princeton is also known for its impressive resources including an 80-seat 3D theater, green screen/motion capture studio and sound recording studios. Students take classes with professors who are experts in their fields and work on projects with their peers.
8. Best Colleges for Student Success
Princeton Review (not associated with Princeton University) has a solid reputation as a test prep company. Its SAT course provides quality practice material with online drills and practice questions, proctored practice tests, and detailed answer explanations.
The education services company uses student survey data to create its college rankings lists. Respondents rate professors, school services, and other aspects of campus life. Read more about the methodology here. Students also report on career outcomes and internships. Elon received a high return on investment ranking.
