Stetson University has been recognized as one of the leading undergraduate institutions in the nation by The Princeton Review for the fourth straight year. This honor, given to only about 15 percent of America’s four-year colleges, appears in the 2019 edition of “The Best 384 Colleges.”

“What sets Stetson apart is its focus on helping students grow intellectually and honing their problem-solving and critical-thinking skills, while continuing to respect our liberal arts tradition,” said Stetson University President Wendy B. Libby, Ph.D. “Advancing education and creating opportunities for students in both education and the work force are key factors in Stetson’s growth and success. I am always pleased to see others recognize our innovation and the hard work of our students, faculty and staff.”

Published annually since 1992, “The Best 384 Colleges” contains detailed profiles of each college which includes excerpts from student surveys and rating scores in eight categories including Academics, Admissions Selectivity and Financial Aid, among others.

In its profile on Stetson University, The Princeton Review praises Stetson for its academics and campus life saying, “Very important factors considered include rigor of secondary school record and academic GPA,” adding other factors considered are “class rank, application essay, standardized test scores, extracurricular activities, volunteer work, character and work experience.”

Among student comments regarding academics: Stetson professors are “very personable and extremely helpful” and act as students’ “biggest cheerleaders.” They “are very willing to meet with people outside of class” and loop students into their work on consulting projects with the Orlando business community where they can “gain work experience, network and broaden their resume.”

Students describe Stetson as diverse with an “abundance of culture radiating through our campus.” “We all care about one another equally and help each other out selflessly,” says one student. People here are quite self-driven and really “take the initiative when it comes to bringing cheer and pride on campus.” Most students participate in clubs and club-sponsored events; the “abundance of clubs on campus and willingness to let them all speak their minds is very much an important aspect” of life at Stetson that members of the student body hold close to their hearts. ”

The Princeton Review does not rank the colleges from 1 to 384 in any category. Instead it uses students’ ratings of their schools to compile 62 ranking lists of top 20 colleges in the book in various categories. The lists in this edition are entirely based on The Princeton Review’s survey of 138,000 students (359 per campus on average) attending the colleges. The Princeton Review’s school profiles and ranking lists in “The Best 384 Colleges” are posted at PrincetonReview.com/best384.

“The Best 384 Colleges” is the 27th annual edition of this book. The Princeton Review also recommends Stetson University on its website feature, “2019 Best Colleges: Region by Region – Northeast / Midwest / Southeast / West” which salutes 658 schools (all U.S. based schools in “The Best 382 Colleges” plus an additional 278 schools) as outstanding in their regions.