The University of Louisiana at Lafayette is one of the nation’s best institutions for undergraduate education, according to the 2013 edition of “The Best 377 Colleges” published by The Princeton Review.
Only about 15 percent of America’s 2,500 four-year colleges are profiled in the college guide. The book includes detailed school profiles with ratings based on surveys of 122,000 students who attend the 377 colleges cited.
“We commend UL Lafayette for its outstanding academics, which is the primary criteria for our selection of schools for the book,” said Robert Franek, Princeton Review’s senior vice president.
It’s not the first time the university is featured in a Princeton Review college guide. In 2012, for example, UL Lafayette was featured in The Princeton Review’s “Best 376 Colleges.”
“We are honored that The Princeton Review once again selected us from among so many universities,” said Ken Ardoin, vice president of University Advancement at UL Lafayette. “In addition to UL’s excellent academic reputation, we feel that students who visit our campus immediately sense how much our students love being here and that it truly feels like home.”
The Princeton Review notes that “tremendously generous grant and scholarship programs and out-of-state fee waivers make UL Lafayette one of the best bargains in the country.” In June, the U.S. Department of Education’s College Affordability and Transparency List ranked UL Lafayette as among the top 10 percent of most affordable four-year public universities in the United States. That list also shows that UL Lafayette is the most affordable university in Louisiana.
“The Best 377 Colleges” profile notes that UL Lafayette’s programs in “education, computer science and engineering are ranked as some of the best in the nation.” Also, it states: “Seasoned and overwhelmingly helpful professors are friendly, fun, and honestly interested in having you learn.”
The latest college guide includes quotes by students who responded to the Princeton Review’s survey. Among UL Lafayette students’ comments about their campus experience: “There is so much history and culture in Louisiana that, frankly, it’s hard to ever be bored or without something fun to do on any day of the week.”
In a “Survey Says” sidebar, The Princeton Review provides common observations that survey respondents made about UL Lafayette. The list includes: “students are friendly,” “students love Lafayette, La.,” and there are “diverse student types on campus.”
More information about the book is available at www.princetonreview.com/college/college-rankings.aspx