Wabash College continues to hold its place among the best institutions for undergraduate education by the Princeton Review in its annual college guide.
Inclusion in the Princeton Review’s “Best 381 Colleges” means that Wabash ranks among the top 15 percent of 2,500 U.S.-based four-year colleges. The review includes detailed profiles of the best schools with rating scores in eight categories. Wabash received an overall academic rating of 94 with scores of 98 in the categories associated with teaching faculty availability and engagement.
In addition, the Princeton Review’s college guide includes lists of top-20 schools in 62 categories, which are based on surveys of 130,000 college students collected during the 2015-16 academic year.
Wabash ranked in the top-20 in nine categories overall.
"From day one of their Wabash experience, our students are interested and engaged in transforming their exceptional liberal arts education," said Dean of Students Mike Raters. “The faculty and staff along with what is our most significant not-so-secret weapons – our alumni and business leaders – work with our young men to ensure their post-graduate successes.”
The liberal arts college for men consistently gets high ratings for its faculty, including No. 10 for the “Most Accessible Professors” and No. 18 for “Professors Get High Marks.” Students cited a strong relationship with faculty who push them academically, challenge thinking, and are supportive and helpful in developing a broad-based educational experience.
“I appreciate the Princeton Review rankings because they highlight the dedication of our faculty, staff, and alumni to the education of young men,” said Dean of the College Scott Feller. “I am especially pleased to see the strength of our fine arts programs recognized as well as the accessibility of faculty.”
Wabash ranked No. 16 in “Best Health Services,” and for the second consecutive year, Wabash ranked in the top-20 (No. 15) for Best College Theater.
“We do really interesting work that is devised from student work in the classroom,” said Wabash Theater Professor Jim Cherry. “We are producing new plays all the time. The product that we produce is really on par with any college in terms of the sophistication of the direction, the quality of the acting, and the design from costumes, to stage, to lighting – it’s absolutely top-notch. The ranking is great, but it doesn’t surprise me because the work we do here is really strong and it’s a department that punches above it’s weight.”
The College’s Schroeder Center for Career Development received high marks for its efforts, ranking No. 5 in “Top Internship Opportunities” and “Best Alumni Network” to go with a No. 8 placement in “Best Career Services.”
Wabash was named one of the top institutions in the Midwest and listed as a “College That Pays You Back” — a designation that takes into account factors like career placement, financial aid, and career earnings following graduation.
Among the other top-20 rankings, Wabash ranked No. 3 in “Everyone Plays Intramural Sports,” and No. 8 in “Best Athletic Facilities.”
“The quality of athletic facilities reflects the interest our students, both athletes and non-athletes, have in the athletic experience at the College,” Raters said. “From the Allen Center to Goodrich Ballpark, Hollett Stadium to the Collett Tennis and Shelbourne Wrestling Centers, the venues for athletic participation also reflect the extraordinary spirit, support, and generosity of the Wabash Community.”
Wabash has been featured in every edition of the Princeton Review’s college guide since the service was established.