Princeton Review ranks Loyola as a top university in the nation

Erin Snodgrass

Once again, Loyola ranks among the best colleges in the nation according to the Princeton Review.

In its “The Best 382 Colleges: 2018 Edition,” which provides prospective college students with a detailed description of the country’s top universities, Loyola was singled out for particular excellence in five categories, where they earned top 20 honors.

These honors, according to a Loyola news release, came from lists compiled through student interviews and polls at schools across the country. According to the Princeton Review, 137,000 students at 382 colleges across the nation, took an online poll, rating their universities in a number of different categories of interest to students and their parents.

The highest ranking went to Loyola’s 95-year old newspaper, The Maroon. The paper was ranked as the fifth-best student newspaper in the country.

This is the third time in the last four years that The Maroon has been ranked in the top five nationally. Editor-in-chief Nick Reimann feels honored to be the leader of one of the strongest organizations on campus.

“I would encourage any student that is new to Loyola to write something for The Maroon during their time here, as I could not imagine experiencing Loyola without The Maroon,” Reimann said.

Loyola also scored high in areas involving student life. The university ranked 11th for lots of race/class interaction and ranked 12th for town/gown relations, meaning Loyola students are active in the larger community of New Orleans.

New Orleans, as Loyola’s city, came in at number 16 for “College City Gets High Marks,” and the school came in at number 18 for “Best Quality of Life.” According to a Loyola news release, the Princeton Review also commended Loyola’s academic rigor and focus on leadership skills.

Marketing sophomore Madison Taylor took the online poll last school year to help weigh in on the rankings. After seeing the results, she believes the rankings Loyola received are representative of what it’s like to attend the university.

“New Orleans is a great place to go to school. There is so much to do and to see, so I think the best college city ranking is a very good representation,” Taylor said.

Taylor is excited for what these rankings could mean for Loyola in the future. She believes the university being nationally recognized in a variety of areas will help draw more potential students and from a more diverse crowd.

“I think the rankings will help put Loyola into high schoolers’ minds as a great college option,” Taylor added.