Today, The Princeton Review published its 2020 college rankings, and Southwestern earned a coveted place among The Best 385 Colleges. In the 28th edition of the renowned college guide, the University is again recognized as #3 in the nation among Impact Schools. It rises from #7 to #6 in the nation—and keeps its position as #1 in Texas—for Career Services, and this year, the University earned the #18 spot in the nation—and #2 in Texas—among the best schools for placing students in internships. SU garnered additional rankings as #19 in the country and #3 in Texas for Best Health Services. It was further acknowledged in The Princeton Review’s unranked lists of Best Value Colleges, Green Colleges, and the 127 best universities in the West.

Maintaining its spot among the top Impact Schools in the U.S., Southwestern is noted for providing ample opportunities to contribute through community service, supporting successful campus sustainability efforts, encouraging an active student government, and inspiring on-campus student engagement. Based on data gathered from sources inside and outside the University, SU is designated as one of the 200 Best Value Colleges thanks to our stellar academics, the career and salary outcomes of our graduates, and our affordability—that is, our comparatively lower sticker price and generous financial-aid packages. And because of our exemplary sustainability practices and strong foundation in sustainability education, Southwestern maintains its position as one of The Princeton Review’s 399 Green Colleges.

“We salute Southwestern University for its outstanding academics, and we are truly pleased to recommend it to prospective applicants searching for their personal ‘best-fit’ college,” says Robert Franek, The Princeton Review’s editor-in-chief and lead author of The Best 385 Colleges.

In the latest profile, SU survey participants commented that the student body is “highly involved and motivated” and that “almost everyone has a major, minor, and one or two organizations in which they are heavily involved.” One student shared that Southwestern “offers a unique scholarly bubble that makes you feel like a scholar yourself.” Echoing the University’s core values, the respondents added that SU “celebrates a range of personalities and points of view” and that students are “unashamedly passionate about our goals.” Current students are particularly proud of their commitment to social justice and activism, and one anonymous Pirate remarked, “Southwestern is all about making a connection with the people around you while making connections between the subjects you study.”

Only 13% of the 3,000 four-year colleges and universities in the U.S. are profiled in The Best 385 Colleges, which is one of the company’s most popular guides. Published annually since 1992, the book—along with its online version—features fairly detailed descriptions of each college, including admission and graduation rates as well as excerpts from surveys of SU students and alumni. The current rankings derive from feedback from 140,000 students about their campus experiences as well as data collected from administrators at each institution. Top-20 schools are then sorted within 62 specific categories, such as Professors Get High Marks and Best Campus Food.

The Princeton Review (www.PrincetonReview.com) is an educational company that offers online academic tutoring, counseling for college and graduate-school admissions, online and in-person test preparation, and other student resources. Headquartered in New York City, New York, it is not affiliated with Princeton University.