Princeton Review names Rice among top 10 best-value schools

Rice University is one of the country’s top 10 best values among private schools for 2013, according to new rankings published Feb. 5 in the Princeton Review’s “The Best Value Colleges.”

Rice is No. 7 and the only private university in Texas in the rankings, which assess the quality of academics, cost of attendance and financial aid.

“One of the top universities of the nation, Rice maintains a stellar faculty and a diverse selection of courses and departments,” the college guide says. “With about 3,500 undergrads, the school offers students the opportunity to develop a strong rapport with their professors, and the tier-one research institution offers robust and extensive opportunities for research and internships.”

In a section called “Bang for Your Buck,” the guide cites Rice’s generous financial aid and comparatively lower tuition: “With tuition set at thousands of dollars lower than Ivy League and other peer institutions, Rice walks the walk of keeping the highest caliber of education affordable for all.” And it notes, “In addition to their terrific financial aid policy, Rice offers a number of merit scholarships to incoming students.”

The 2013 Princeton Review best-value rankings were based on institutional and student surveys conducted from fall 2011 through fall 2012. The percentage of graduating seniors who borrowed from any loan program and their average debt at graduation were also factored into the analysis.

Since 2009, Rice has eliminated loans to students whose family income is below $80,000. Rice admits students regardless of their ability to pay and provides financial-aid packages that meet 100 percent of students’ demonstrated need. Rice limits loans to no more than $10,000 in financial-aid packages for need-eligible incoming freshmen for their four undergraduate years.

Rice has consistently been identified as a top 10 best-value university. It’s currently ranked No. 2 by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine. Rice is also ranked No. 1 for happiest students and No. 2 for best quality of life, best-run college and students’ love of their school in the Princeton Review’s “Best 377 Colleges.”

For the Princeton Review’s complete list of best-value colleges for 2013, visit http://www.princetonreview.com/best-value-colleges.aspx