Students Give Midwest Colleges Great Grades

According to a new survey by The Princeton Review, the Midwest boasts 156 colleges students feel they have reason to brag about. That’s 156 out of a list of The Best 381 Colleges and more than 20 have a presence in the Kansas City area.

The schools making the list were chosen, “…primarily for their excellent academics,” according to Robert Franek, The Princeton Review’s senior VP-publisher. Selections were made based on data from college administrators, staff visits to schools and the perspectives of college counselors and advisors whose opinions the company solicits.   Franek also highlights the importance of student input, “We also gave careful consideration to what students enrolled at the schools reported to us,” going on to say, “Only schools that permit us independently to survey their students are eligible to be considered for our regional ‘best’ lists, and only schools at which we see a strong level of satisfaction among their enrolled students…make it to our final slate of regional ‘best’ college selections.” 

Among the schools with a significant KC Metro academic or alumni presence are: Baker University, College of the Ozarks, Columbia College, Drury University, Emporia State University, Graceland University, Kansas State University, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Pittsburg State University, Southeast Missouri State University, St. Louis University, Sterling College, Truman State, University of Central Missouri, University of Kansas, University of Missouri, University of St. Mary, Washington University, Westminster College, and William Jewell College.