Wofford College once again has a spot on The Princeton Review’s lists of the best colleges.
The publication released its list of “The Best 388 Colleges” on Aug. 17, and Wofford made the list while also earning a spot on its list of the “Best Southeastern” colleges and being ranked No. 14 on the publication’s ranking of the “Top 20 Best Alumni Networks” for private colleges and universities.
“Choosing a college can be an overwhelming experience,” says Dr. Nayef Samhat, Wofford’s president. “Wofford’s continued recognition from prestigious publications reinforces our commitment to student success and our constant attention to enhancing the student experience. One of the best aspects of this list is that our students were consulted, and their voices shape the reviews.”
The Princeton Review chose the colleges for the book based on data it annually collects from surveys of 2,000 college administrators about their institutions’ academic offerings. The company also reviews survey data provided by current college students. Only about 14% of America’s 2,700 four-year colleges are profiled in the book.
The Princeton Review does not rank the total list of colleges in the book hierarchically, but the book has 50 categories of ranking lists. Each list names the top 25 colleges (of those in the book) in its category. The ranking lists are tallied based on The Princeton Review’s surveys of 160,000 students at the 388 institutions in the book. The company’s 85-question student survey asked students to rate their colleges on dozens of topics and report on their campus experiences at them.
Wofford is ranked No. 5 on the book’s “Lots of Greek Life” list, the Old Gold and Black student newspaper is ranked No. 22 on the book’s list for the “Best College Newspaper” and the college is ranked No. 22 on the list for “Most Conservative Students.”
In the spring, Wofford was recognized as one of The Princeton Review’s “Best Value Colleges for 2022.”
Earlier this week, Wofford was ranked No. 10 on Degree Choices list of top 10 liberal arts colleges based on an analysis of the economic benefits students receive from attending each institution. Degree Choices’ rankings are based on how quickly students recoup their investment and the long-term earnings compared with other college graduates.
Wofford is routinely recognized as a best value by national publications, including the New York Times and U.S. News & World Report. In 2021, the college received a $150 million gift to its endowment from 1959 graduate Jerry Richardson, and $120 million of that gift will support need-based scholarships and experiential learning opportunities.
The college also excels in career preparation; 98% of graduates from the classes of 2016 to 2020 had successful career outcomes, which means that they were employed, pursuing postgraduate education, military service or a volunteer commitment within six months of graduation.
Wofford College, established in 1854, is a four-year, residential liberal arts college located in Spartanburg, South Carolina. It offers 27 major fields of study to a student body of 1,775 undergraduates. Nationally known for the strength of its academic program, outstanding faculty, study abroad participation and successful graduates, Wofford is recognized consistently as a “best value” and for its commitment to student success and accessibility for low- and middle-income students. The college community has 12 sororities and fraternities as well as 20 NCAA Division I athletics teams.