Rice rates top 10 in nine Princeton Review rankings

‘Amazing place for students’ lauded in annual survey 

Rice University rates among the top 10 in nine different categories in the 2020 edition of the Princeton Review’s “The Best 385 Colleges,” an annual report based on student surveys.

Rice rates among the top 10 in nine different categories in the 2020 edition of the Princeton Review’s “The Best 385 Colleges,” an annual report based on student surveys.

For the fifth consecutive year, Rice has earned the No. 1 spot for interaction between races and classes. The university ranked No. 2 in the best college newspaper category, No. 4 for best quality of life, No. 6 for great financial aid, No. 6 for best health services and No. 6 for best-run colleges. The university ranked No. 8 in the categories of happiest students and best college dorms and No. 10 for being LGBTQ friendly, the first time Rice has been recognized in the top 10 in this category.

The Princeton Review issues an annual report ranking institutions of higher learning in dozens of different categories. This year’s report is based on surveys of about 140,000 students who were asked for their opinions on 62 different subjects related to their experiences on campus.

Rice also ranked No. 11 in the most beautiful campus category, No. 16 for best campus food and No. 17 in the category of “their students love these colleges.”

The Princeton Review’s 2020 rankings specifically cited a surveyed student who called Rice an “amazing place for students because of how much professors care about teaching undergraduates.” Another remarked, “I wanted my college years to be both happy and successful, and I found no other schools that were as prestigious but also dedicated to ensuring the happiness of the student body.”

Other students quoted by the Princeton Review lauded Rice’s emphasis on collaboration and inclusivity.

“When people told me that the school was collaborative,” one student told the surveyors, “I never imagined that … seniors would stay up late just to help me with things I’ve been struggling with, even when they have their own work to do.”

“I have personally benefited from close working relationships with most of my professors in my major department, beginning in my freshman year,” said another student, who cited Rice’s “culture of care.”

“These rankings are a reflection of how our students feel they are treated by each other, the dedication and quality of services provided by our staff and the commitment of our faculty,” Rice President David Leebron said. “We’re especially pleased to see that our students recognize the value of a diverse and caring community, and the welcome we extend to our LGBTQ students. There is always more work to be done, but the supportive community at Rice gives us a strong base to continue to build upon.”