August 07, 2018 | Matt Kucinski

A professor and student sit side-by-side doing water-related research in a lab.
Each year, 175+ Calvin students partner with faculty on research projects in various disciplines.

Calvin College is one of the nation’s best institutions for undergraduate education, according to The Princeton Review. The education services company features the school in the recently published 2019 edition of its annual college guide, “The Best 384 Colleges.”

One of The Princeton Review’s most popular guides, “The Best 384 Colleges” rankings are based on surveys of 138,000 students at 384 top colleges that includes a wide representation by region, size, selectivity, and character.

In the college’s two-page profile, students give their professors high marks, saying they have “a desire to share their wealth of experiences and passions with the students” and are “extremely talented, interesting, and connected in their specific fields.” They also say their professors are “masters at integration of education and Christianity.”

Student life is also given high marks. According to the book’s editors at The Princeton Review, “When people aren’t studying (studying in hammocks around campus is popular), they often go to coffee shops or to get food together.” The editors also note “there are also lots of things to do in the Grand Rapids area. Students agree: “people go out to meals, movies, bowling, sporting events, the downtown market, and other events in the city such as ArtPrize.”

In a “Survey Says” sidebar in the book’s profile on Calvin, the Princeton Review lists topics that Calvin students surveyed for the book were in most agreement about in their responses. The list includes: “internships are widely available,” “lab facilities are great,” “students love Grand Rapids, MI,” “easy to get around campus” and “recreation facilities are great,” to name a few.

For more information on the rankings and methodology visit www.princetonreview.com/college-rankings/how-it-works 

Opportunities for discovery
100+ academic options

84% of students complete at least one internship

40+ faculty-led study abroad options

Dedicated faculty
90% hold the highest degree in their field

100% are committed Christians

13:1 student/faculty ratio

Excellent results
99% grad placement rate in 2017

Top 6% of baccalaureate colleges whose grads go on to earn research doctorates


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