For the tenth year in a row, Marist College is one of the nation's best institutions for undergraduate education, according to The Princeton Review. Marist is included in "The Best 377 Colleges," the new 2013 edition of The Princeton Review's annual guide. Only about 15 percent of America's 2,500 four-year colleges, and three colleges outside the U.S., are included in the book. 

The guide notes, "While students are undoubtedly drawn to Marist College's 'beautiful campus on the Hudson' and 'magnificent scenery,' it is the private school's abundance of academic offerings that really gets students excited."

In particular, the guide highlights Marist's business, psychology, and study abroad programs. In fact, this is also the second consecutive year that Marist is included in The Princeton Review's "top 20" list for "most popular study abroad program," ranking seventh. Nearly half of the Marist student body spends some time studying in one of more than 30 countries where the College has programs, including at its campus in Florence, Italy.

The guide's profile goes on to say that "Marist is able to hold its own against larger schools when it comes to resources," noting a unique partnership with IBM that helps give it top-rate computer facilities, a "great library," a wealth of student activities and athletic programs, and its spectacular Hudson River Valley surroundings that prompt students to "wax rhapsodic."

When describing Marist faculty, "students gush about their professors who are 'top-notch,' 'knowledgeable, and lively,' and 'often accessible and approachable outside of the classroom.' One student says, 'They are always inclusive in class discussions, and they have a zest and spark for what they're teaching us.'

"We commend Marist College for its outstanding academics, which is the primary criteria for our selection of schools for the book," said Robert Franek, Princeton Review's Senior Vice President and Publisher and author of "The Best 377 Colleges."  "Our choices are based on institutional data we collect about schools, our visits to schools over the years, feedback we gather from students attending the schools, and the opinions of our staff and our 30-member National College Counselor Advisory Board.  We also work to keep a wide representation of colleges in the book by region, size, selectivity and character."

Marist College President Dennis J. Murray said, "Marist's continued inclusion in this prestigious publication is particularly gratifying because it is based so much on feedback from our students."

Murray went on to say, "What these results tell us, along with other external distinctions and our own surveys, is that students are drawn to Marist for its quality faculty, strong academic programs, and great internship and study abroad opportunities. Once here, they immerse themselves in the college experience and receive an excellent education before graduating and going on to find rewarding jobs or enrolling in graduate school."

Top Study Abroad Program

In including Marist's study abroad program on its "top 20" list, The Princeton Review recognized a growing and diverse program that sees nearly half of all Marist undergraduates going overseas to study in more than 30 countries, including Marist's Florence campus, Ireland, Argentina, and South Africa, to name just a few.

"No matter where they go, our students return to campus saying that their time abroad was a life-changing experience," Murray said. "In a world increasingly interconnected by technology and the global economy, it is more important than ever for them to get a broader perspective and better understanding of America's role in the world."

In terms of its student participation rate, Marist is now ranked 18th in international education among masters-level institutions, according to the "Open Doors Report," published by the Institute of International Education, with support from the U.S. State Department. 

For more information on study abroad at Marist, please visit the International Programs page at www.marist.edu/international.

Marist and The Princeton Review

In addition to its decade of inclusion in "The Best 377 Colleges," Marist's School of Management is also featured in current edition of The Princeton Review's "The Best 294 Business Schools."

The 2013 edition of "The Best 377 Colleges" goes on sale August 21. Information on the schools in The Best 377 Colleges is also posted on the publisher's Web site, www.PrincetonReview.com. The Princeton Review is not affiliated with Princeton University or the Educational Testing Service.