News & Events

UNC Asheville Named One of 50 "Best Value" Public Colleges in the U.S. by Princeton Review

January 8, 2009

In today's challenging economy, parents and students face the daunting prospect of high costs and years of debt as they shop for colleges this spring. With that in mind, the Princeton Review released its "Best Value Colleges for 2009" earlier today.

UNC Asheville was among just 50 institutions nationwide named to the "Best Value" Public Colleges list. The Princeton Review also published a 50 "Best Value" Private Colleges list, for a total of 100 colleges in all. UNC Asheville was the only college or university in Western North Carolina to make the list. This is the third year that UNC Asheville has been selected by the Princeton Review as one of the 50 best value public colleges in the country.

According to the Princeton Review, the schools that made the "Best Value" list "retain similar qualities – they're able to provide stellar academics with a modest price tag. Indeed, students who attend these universities don't feel as though they have to mortgage their future just to enroll."

The Princeton Review praised UNC Asheville's growing national academic reputation, noting that the University "offers the quality education of a private school at a public school price." It also favorably notes the University's numerous academic options, small class size and strong focus on the liberal arts. The ranking applauds UNC Asheville's accessible faculty and the diverse offering of student activities both on and off campus.

The Princeton Review selected the top 100 institutions as its "Best Value" choices for 2009 based on its surveys of administrators and students at more than 650 public and private colleges and universities. The selection criteria covered more than 30 factors in three areas: academics, costs of attendance, and financial aid, using the most recently reported data from each institution for the 2007-08 academic year.

UNC Asheville consistently ranks as one of the nation's best values in higher education. It has made the Fiske Guide to Colleges' "Best Buy" list for the past 15 years and is among the Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine's 100 best value public colleges and universities. And according to U.S. News & World Report's 2008 college rankings, UNC Asheville is among the top 25 liberal arts colleges in the nation whose students graduated with the least debt in 2007.

To see the complete list of "Best Values," click on www.princetonreview.com.