The Princeton Review has placed the Ƶ among the top 13 percent of the nation’s four-year colleges for undergraduate education.
The educational services company released its 2020 edition of “The Best 385 Colleges” on Tuesday.
The guide’s editors considered 3,000 public and private colleges and universities in the U.S. before selecting “our ‘best’ overall,” said Robert Franek, The Princeton Review's editor-in-chief and the book’s lead author.
The guide does not rank schools from 1 to 385. Instead, it uses the results of surveys of more than 140,000 students to examine academic programs and life on their respective campuses. The guide presents that information to help prospective students choose a college.
Responses from UL Lafayette’s students show they feel valued by the community, enjoy intramural sports opportunities and campus recreational facilities, and regularly take advantage of the city’s food and music scenes.
“Students who attend the Ƶ will likely never be bored,” the guide states.
Survey participants agree. “Throughout the year, there are tons of festivals unique to Lafayette, all of which are free to attend,” one biology major is quoted as saying.
Respondents also cited the University’s welcoming and diverse student body, and lauded attentive faculty members who challenge them to succeed academically. “Most of the professors I’ve had have been very passionate about their subjects, which in turn makes the students interested in class,” said one English major.
Dr. DeWayne Bowie, the University’s vice president for Enrollment Management, said UL Lafayette’s inclusion in the guidebook is “especially gratifying since it’s based on responses from our students.”
“The surveys indicate that undergraduates are happy to pursue degrees in a challenging academic environment located in a city that also knows how to have fun,” Bowie said.
The complete list of school profiles and rankings are available at
The Princeton Review is known for its tutoring, test-prep courses, books, and other student resources. It is not affiliated with Princeton University.
This is the 28th edition of its “Best Colleges” guide.
Photo: Students cite campus and community leisure activities – coupled with a challenging academic environment and attentive faculty members – as reasons they chose to attend UL Lafayette, according to the Princeton Review's 2020 edition of “The Best 385 Colleges.” (Photo credit: Doug Dugas / Ƶ)