3 Mercer Co. Schools Among Princeton Review's Best Colleges 2023 List

PRINCETON, NJ — Three higher-education institutions in Mercer County are among the nation’s 388 best, according to The Princeton Review’s "Best 388 Colleges: 2023 Edition."

The 388 colleges on the list aren’t ranked. But the top 25 colleges were ranked in 50 categories designed to help guide those making college choices to institutions that best fit their academic and personal needs.

The institutions that made the list are:

• The College of New Jersey (TCNJ)
• Princeton University
• Rider University

Nine NJ colleges are featured in Princeton Review's list overall. More: Princeton Review's 'Best 388 Colleges 2023' List Includes 9 NJ Schools

TCNJ and Princeton were named "Best Value Colleges," which includes 209 schools — also unranked.

For the first time, the categories include "green matters," which names the colleges students give high marks for their commitment to the environment and conservation on their campuses. But no New Jersey universities made the 25-school list.

According to the lists, Princeton University doesn't have as much going on with beer and cannabis, ranking eighth in the "Pot's Not Hot" category and 16th on the "Cancel the Keg" list. But the institution ranks 14th in terms of hard liquor. (Princeton University is not affiliated with The Princeton Review.)

The list is based on 160,000 student surveys that asked students to rate their professors, administrators, school services, and other aspects of life at their colleges and to report on their campus and community experiences. Read more about the methodology.

(With reporting from Josh Bakan, Patch Staff)

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