WSU the Only State University Named a ‘Best Value College’

Worcester State University is the only Massachusetts State University on The Princeton Review’s annual list of the nation’s “Best Value Colleges.” It is one of only two public Massachusetts universities on the list, the other being the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. WSU is one of only two Worcester area colleges and universities on the list, the other being the College of the Holy Cross. WSU is one of 14 public and private Massachusetts colleges and universities on the list. Other schools include Harvard College, Williams College, Amherst College, Boston College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Smith College and Wellesley College.

“In a state known for its wealth of expensive private schools, Worcester State University stands out as a Northeastern value school that’s consistently recognized for the quality of education it provides at a bargain price,” states the WSU profile in the annual “Best Value Colleges” publication.

“I commend all our dedicated faculty and staff for all they do to ensure that our students have access to a nationally recognized university,” said President Barry M. Maloney. “It is an honor to be one of only two public colleges and universities named in and to once again be recognized for our academic rigor, and hands-on approach to teaching and learning.  We will continue to strive to be the very best.”

The 2013 list identifies 150 colleges (75 public and 75 private) The Princeton Review designates as “Best Values” based on assessments that examined more than 30 data points covering academics, cost, and financial aid. The Company chose the 150 schools from 650 colleges and universities at which it conducted institutional and student surveys for this project in 2011-12.

The Princeton Review has also ranked Worcester State University as a, “Best in the Northeast College,” for nine years in a row—the only Massachusetts State University with this designation.

While The Princeton Review does not rank its 150 “Best Value” colleges overall, it reports the top 10 schools in each group: public and private. The University of Virginia is the #1 “Best Value Public College”: Swarthmore is the #1 “Best Value Private College.” The list features schools in 35 states and DC. California has the most colleges represented (19), followed by New York (18), and Massachusetts (14).

The Princeton Review’s companion book – The Best Value Colleges: The 150 Best-Buy Schools and What It Takes to Get In (2013 Edition, Random House / Princeton Review, $21.99, February 5) – is available now in bookstores and via online booksellers. The 450-page book has detailed profiles of the colleges and advice for applicants to get admitted to – and get financial aid from – the schools.

The Princeton Review’s “Top 10 Best Value Public Colleges for 2013”

1. University of Virginia (Charlottesville)

2. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

3. New College of Florida (Sarasota)

4. College of William & Mary (Williamsburg VA)

5. Univ. of California – Los Angeles

6. North Carolina State University (Raleigh)

7. University of Wisconsin (Madison)

8. State University of New York at Binghamton

9. University of Michigan – Ann Arbor

10. University of Georgia (Athens)

The Princeton Review’s “Top 10 Best Value Private Colleges for 2013”

1. Swarthmore College (Swarthmore PA)

2. Harvard College (Cambridge MA)

3. Williams College (Williamstown MA)

4. Princeton University (Princeton NJ)

5. Pomona College (Claremont CA)

6. Yale University (New Haven CT)

7. Rice University (Houston TX)

8. Hamilton College (Clinton NY)

9. Claremont McKenna College (Claremont CA)

10. Grinnell College (Grinnell IA)

Princeton Review’s Senior VP/Publisher and lead author Robert Franek, said, “We commend these colleges for their stellar academics and their exceptional affordability as evidenced by their generous financial aid awards or their comparatively low sticker prices — or both.”  Among the Princeton Review’s “2013 Top 10 Public Best Value Colleges,” the average cost of attendance for in-state students is about $8,300 (after deducting the average grants awarded to students with need).  Among the Company’s “2013 Top 10 Private Best Value Colleges,” the average cost of attendance is about $17,600 (after deducting the average grants to students with need).

The Best Value Colleges profiles provide information on each school’s application requirements, admission data (acceptance rates and average SAT/ACT scores of enrolled freshmen), costs, financial aid, graduation rates, and graduates’ loan debt.  The book also has profiles of 10 tuition-free colleges.  The book is one of 150 Princeton Review titles published by Random House. Others include The Best 377 Colleges, widely-known for its college rankings in 62 categories, and Paying For College Without Going Broke, the only financial aid guide with line-by-line guidance for submitting the major aid application forms for the upcoming school year.

The Princeton Review is not affiliated with Princeton University.