University of Arkansas Named Among Best In Princeton Review’s '361 Best Colleges’
“I am pleased to see that the
“The main factor in our selection of schools in the book was our high regard for their academic programs,” said Robert Franek, vice president of publishing for The Princeton Review. “We evaluated them based on institutional data we collect about the schools, feedback from students and visits to schools over the years. We also considered the opinions of independent college counselors, students and parents we talk to and survey. Finally, we worked to have a wide representation of colleges in the book by region, size, selectivity and character.”
The university’s scores (based on a scale of 60-99) are as follows:
- Quality of Life Rating — how happy students are outside of the classroom — 76
- Fire Safety Rating (New Category) — how prepared the institution is to respond to a fire on campus, specifically in a residence hall — 76
- Academic Rating — how hard students work at school and how much they get in return for their efforts — 72
- Admissions Rating — how competitive admission is at the institution — 86
- Financial Aid Rating — based on school-reported data on financial aid and awards to students and students’ satisfaction with what aid they receive — 72
While comparisons with previous editions to determine improvement or declination is often common, editors with The Princeton Review altered the scoring system for the publication one year ago in an effort to create a more accurate depiction and comparison between the ranked institutions. For the most recent edition of the “Best 361 Colleges,” factors for the scoring system were once again altered.
According to the guide’s editors, “Our six ratings were determined using the results from our student surveys as well as institutionally-reported data. Six ratings are on a scale of 60-99. Each individual rating places each college on a continuum for purposes of comparing all colleges within this edition only. Although they are similar, these ratings are not intended to be compared directly to those within any prior edition, as our ratings computations are somewhat refined and change annually.”The 2006 edition’s rankings are based on surveys of 110,000 students at the 361 schools included within the book during the 2004-05 and/or previous two school years.
The 70-question survey asks students to rate their schools on several topics and report on their experiences at them. Topics include: academics/administration, life at the school, their fellow students and themselves. Surveys are conducted on campuses and via the Princeton Review Web site, where students have the option of completing a secure survey online.
The following table lists the university's academic ratings among SEC institutions and projections of where it would rank among major institutions in three other athletic conferences:
SEC Big 12 PAC-10 Big 10
Auburn 72
Vanderbilt 72
Ole Miss
In its profile of the university, The Princeton Review notes that elementary education and teaching, finance and marketing/marketing management are among the most popular majors. In its discussion of the campus’s inclusiveness, the profile quotes one international student as saying, “The university does a wonderful job at bringing [foreign students] into the community through the International Students’ Office. For instance, I was part of a Conversation Group during my freshman year that met once a week to help us become comfortable with speaking English.”
Contacts
Charles Crowson, manager of media relations
University Relations
(479) 575-3583, ccrowso@uark.edu
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