Niagara University’s academic excellence, graduation rates, and employability of its graduates keep it among the best schools in the Northeast, according to The Princeton Review. Niagara University is one of the institutions the well-known education services company recommends in its “Best in the Northeast” section of its feature, “2018 Best Colleges: Region by Region.”
Academically, Niagara University offers its students “a friendly learning community” and an education that “is very focused on service and the Vincentian tradition,” according to students in the survey. Students also noted that “There are also many resources available to us and various classes that are truly staples to helping us with real world situations within our careers.”
Niagara’s typical class size of 10-20, and its 12:1 student/faculty ratio were also noted by students, who said that they love Niagara’s “small size and individual attention” as well as the “family-like support system.” They also rave about the “one on one with professors” who are “fantastic” and “very approachable and knowledgeable.” One student reported that “Most of my professors have fulfilled my expectations of a teacher: polite, humorous, reasonable, and stimulates interest in his/her class.”
Additionally, Niagara University’s graduation rate (60% of students graduate in four years) and its post-graduation placement rate (97% are either employed or in graduate school) factored into the university’s place on the list.
Niagara University, which has been named as a top educational institution by The Princeton Review for several years in a row, and SUNY Buffalo are the only local colleges to appear on the “Best in the Northeast” list.
The Princeton Review rankings are based on surveys of 137,000 students at colleges and universities nationwide. Data is compiled based on student responses pertaining to their school’s academics, administration, student body and themselves.
“Recognition of this manner is a testament to the outstanding quality of Niagara University’s faculty, administrators, staff and student leaders,” said the Rev. James J. Maher, C.M., NU president. “It clearly demonstrates Niagara University as an environment with an ever-growing academic reputation and a culture of vibrant learning that is integrated with dynamic student engagement. It is a great return on investment for students (and families) to attend a regional, national, binational and global university, which offers affordability, accessibility, high value with outstanding outcomes.”
“We chose Niagara University and the other outstanding institutions on this list primarily for their excellent academics,” said Robert Franek, The Princeton Review’s editor-in-chief. “The Princeton Review editors made their selections based on data the company collected from its survey of administrators at several hundred colleges in each region, as well as its staff visits to schools over the years, and the perspectives of college counselors and advisors whose opinions the company solicits.”
“We also gave careful consideration to what students enrolled at the schools reported to us about their campus experiences on our student survey for this project,” Franek added. “We designed our 80-question survey to include questions that prospective applicants might ask on a campus visit. 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 – whom we consider their customers – make it to our final slate of regional ‘best’ college selections.”
The Princeton Review is an education services company known for its test-prep courses, tutoring, books and college admission services. Headquartered in Natick, Mass., the company publishes more than 150 print and digital books and delivers courses through a network of more than 4,000 teachers and tutors. For more information, visit www.princetonreview.com.
This is the most recent of several accolades Niagara University has received for the high quality of its academic offerings and commitment to educational access and affordability.
U.S. News & World Report placed NU in its top tier of northern colleges and universities, praising the Catholic and Vincentian institution for the quality of its academics and the great value that it offers to students, including veterans and international students. Money magazine and Kiplinger’s also lauded Niagara for delivering outstanding value for a student’s educational dollar.