UNC Asheville again featured in Princeton Review’s Best Colleges guide

September 11, 2024

Top rankings include No. 5 in the nation for Best Health Services

The University of North Carolina Asheville is one of the nation’s best institutions for undergraduates according to The Princeton Review, which once again prominently featured the University in its recent annual college guide.

In addition to landing a place on the “The Best 390 Colleges: 2025 Edition,” UNC Asheville earned a spot on the “2025 Best Colleges: Region by Region” and the “Guide to Green Colleges: 2024 Edition Lists.” 

UNC Asheville also stands out in a number of separate rankings that place it among the best of the best nationally.

In the publication’s category rankings, UNC Asheville is ranked No. 5 in the nation for Best Health Services. This recognition illustrates the University’s commitment to student well-being and the Health and Counseling Center’s dedication to students.

“The Health and Counseling staff are deeply committed to meeting the unique needs of UNC Asheville students. Our role in their lives goes beyond providing healthcare and includes acting as educators, mentors, and role models,” said Jay Cutspec, director of health and counseling.

The Health and Counseling Center (HCC) offers comprehensive medical and wellness services. Student opportunities at HCC include meeting with a Wellness Coach, scheduling medical provider visits, attending dog therapy events, learning about healthy life choices, and walking-in for a Let’s Talk counseling consultation.

UNC Asheville is also ranked No. 6 in the nation for Most Politically Active Students and for Green Matters, No. 15 for Most Engaged in Community Service, and No. 19 for LGBTQ-Friendly.

“UNC Asheville students care deeply about their communities and go above and beyond to participate in making sure all voices are heard,” said Ashley Moraguez, associate professor and co-chair of political science. 

One such example is the UNC Asheville Votes program, a nonpartisan on-campus effort for students and community members interested in civic and electoral engagement that Moraguez helps lead. The University consistently receives national recognition for its voter participation efforts.

Moraguez is also working with student leaders and staff colleagues during the Fall 2024 semester, which has been designated the Semester of Civics to reflect UNC Asheville’s commitment to civic engagement, electoral participation, civil discourse, and democratic practices. 

Beyond these impressive national rankings, UNC Asheville faculty are also highly regarded, receiving ratings of 93 in the “Profs interesting” and “Profs accessible” categories. One student said, “My professors are the best educators that I have ever had in my entire academic career.”

Given its wonderful location in a vibrant city nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Princeton Review notes, “Learning is not limited to traditional lectures, with many courses taught outside and opportunities for coursework that’s ‘entirely based around extracurricular involvement and action outside of the classroom.’”

UNC Asheville’s inclusion in the rankings are strengthened by students’ experiences inside and outside the classroom. 

They describe how “first-year seminars provided at UNC Asheville are really great courses for exceptional discussions” and that some courses are “entirely based around extracurricular involvement and action outside of the classroom.” 

“We salute UNC Asheville for its outstanding academics, and many other impressive offerings. We recommend it as an ideal choice for students searching for their ‘best-fit’ college,” said Rob Franek, The Princeton Review’s editor-in-chief and lead editor of “The Best 390 Colleges.”

UNC Asheville’s profile and ranking lists in “The Best 390 Colleges” are posted here.

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