Knox Selected for Princeton Review "Best 368 Colleges"

Knox College has been chosen by Princeton Review for inclusion in the 2009 edition of "The Best 368 Colleges." The book selects just 15% of colleges and universities in the United States and Canada.

"We chose schools primarily for their outstanding academics," said Robert Franek, Vice President for publishing at Princeton Review. "We collect institutional data and feedback from students, college counselors and parents." Princeton Review surveyed 120,000 students for the 2009 edition of "The Best 368 Colleges." Information from the forthcoming book was published this week on the Princeton Review website.

"Ratings in the Princeton Review show Knox's strength in academics, recruitment and campus diversity," said Paul Steenis, Dean of Admission and Vice President for Enrollment at Knox. On a 100-point scale, Knox was rated 88 for the quality of its academic programs, and 87 for academic quality of the student body.

Knox's academic quality data includes a student-faculty ratio of 12-to-1, fewer than 20 students in most classes and labs, and faculty who are rated by students as interesting and accessible.

Princeton Review data on high school class rank and test scores of incoming students reflect recruitment of an academically strong student body, Steenis said. Forty-percent of new students at Knox ranked in the top ten-percent of their high school class.

"The Princeton Review data also show that Knox is a very diverse liberal arts college," Steenis said. "Close to twenty-four percent of the Knox student body -- or almost one in four -- is either an American student of color or an international student."

Based on student opinion surveys, Knox gained rankings of 9th in the nation for its student radio station WVKC and 17th for its theatre.

"Knox welcomes the Princeton Review's ratings and rankings, and we also encourage students to look beyond the numbers," Steenis said. "Numerical rankings can't measure the opportunities that Knox offers for research, off-campus study, and community service."

Princeton Review also ranked Knox 16th nationally for its financial aid, and included Knox in "Best Colleges in the Midwest," a regional listing. "A strong ranking for financial aid shows our commitment to access and affordability," Steenis said.

Founded in 1837, Knox is a national liberal arts college in Galesburg, Illinois, with students from 45 states and 44 nations. Knox's 'Old Main' is a National Historic Landmark and the only building remaining from the 1858 Lincoln-Douglas debates.