University News

For 11 years, The Princeton Review has named Western Illinois University a "Best Midwestern College." Western was one of 159 regional universities, and one of three Illinois public institutions, named to the "Best in the Midwest" list by The Princeton Review. The selections take into account what students at the schools report about their experiences via an 80-question student survey. WIU students noted that Western has a "homelike atmosphere," "fun events" and "plenty of organizations."
[Download Print-Quality Image]

Princeton Review: WIU "Best Midwestern" College for 12th Year

August 7, 2015

Share |
Printer friendly version

MACOMB/MOLINE, IL — For 12 years, The Princeton Review has named Western Illinois University a "Best Midwestern College." Western is one of 159 regional universities, and one of three Illinois public institutions, named to the "Best in the Midwest" list by The Princeton Review.

The 159 colleges included in the "Best in the Midwest" list are located in 12 states: Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Collectively, the 649 colleges named "regional best(s)" comprise 25 percent of the nation's 2,500 four-year colleges, according to The Princeton Review.

"We are pleased to be acknowledged for the 12th consecutive year by The Princeton Review," said President Jack Thomas. "We strive to provide our students with a quality, well-rounded education, and the continued recognition from The Princeton Review and others, indicates we are meeting this goal. We will continue to provide outstanding programs and services to our students."

The Princeton Review editors made their selections based on data the company collected from its survey of administrators at several hundred colleges in each region, as well as its staff visits to schools over the years and the perspectives of college counselors and advisers, whose opinions the company solicits.

The selections also take into account what students at the schools report about their experiences via an 80-question student survey. The Princeton Review asks students to rate their own schools on several issues, from the accessibility of their professors to the quality of the campus food and to answer questions about themselves, their fellow students and their campus lives. Students commented that WIU's athletic and recreational facilities are "excellent" and also noted that Western has a "homelike atmosphere," "fun events" and "plenty of organizations."

The Princeton Review also rates the schools on its "2016 Best Colleges: Region by Region" list in six categories. The rating scores (on a scale of 60 to 99) appear on the school profiles and are tallied from institutional data the company obtained from the colleges in 2014-15 and/or its student-survey data. Western received the following rating scores: Academics [69], Admissions Selectivity [74], Financial Aid [72], Fire Safety [82], Quality of Life [69] and Green [68].

The Midwestern "2016 Best Colleges: Region by Region" ranking list is available at www.princetonreview.com/college-rankings?rankings=best-midwestern.

For more information on WIU, visit wiu.edu.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing