News Archives - 2008

Augsburg again among the 'Best in the Midwest'

Thanks in part to Augsburg students, the college once again is named as one of 159 "Best in the Midwest" colleges on The Princeton Review's web site feature "2009 Best Colleges: Region by Region."

The annual ranking considers institutional data collected by The Princeton Review, their visits to schools, and the opinions of high-school counselors. In addition, says Robert Franek, vice president for publishing, "We also take into account what each school's customers -- their students -- report to us about their campus experiences at their schools on our 80-question student survey."

What Auggie undergrads told The Princeton Review about their professors, for example, is that they "deserve a great deal of credit for creating an inviting, positive, thinking environment," and for making the student experience feel "very personal." Students also reported that "one of the greatest strengths of Augsburg is that it offers internships and study abroad classes to every student."

The student survey covers a variety of topics, from the accessibility of professors to the quality of campus food, and asks students to answer questions about themselves, their fellow students, and their campus life.

Franek says that the aim of the annual roster of regional best colleges is to present "a range of institutions in each region that varies by size, selectivity, character, and locale." All colleges named had to meet criteria for academic excellence. In addition, The Princeton Review had to be able to survey the students, either directly or with the help of college officials.

The web site's comments tell prospective students to consider the information about best colleges as "a starting point, a tool that can help you to probe the surface and get a sense of the college experience at a particular school."

The Princeton Review, a New York-based company, is known for its test preparation courses, books, and college admission and other education services. For more about the Best in the Midwest Colleges, go to www.PrincetonReview.com.