21 Virginia, DC Schools On Princeton Review’s ‘Best 385’ List

WASHINGTON, DC — The Princeton Review has released its annual list of the 385 best colleges, which includes 16 schools in Virginia and five in Washington, D.C. Along with the list of the best 385 colleges, the Princeton Review ranks colleges in categories like academics and administration, politics, quality of life and more.

“We chose the 385 colleges for this edition as our 'best' overall, academically, based on data we gathered in 2018–19 from more than a thousand school administrators about their schools' academic programs and offerings,” Robert Franek, Princeton Review's editor-in-chief and the lead author of the book, said in a press release.

"We are well aware, however, that applicants need more than an academic assessment to choose the colleges best for them,” Franek said. “We created our dozens of ranking lists specifically to facilitate that search. We tally our lists using data we gather directly from our surveys of students attending these colleges. Our survey asks the students about their professors, administrators, school services, campus culture, and other facets of life at their schools.”

Some colleges found themselves high on lists that are not so flattering. For example: Hampden-Sydney College places first in the nation on the list entitled: "Is It Food?" and the University of Virginia ranks 20th for "Lots of Beer." On the upside: American University in DC finished fifth in America on the list entitled: "Most Politically Active Students," Virginia Tech ranked No. 5 for "Best Campus Food" and College of William and Mary was No. 6 for "Happiest Students."

On the overall list of the best 385 colleges, the Princeton Review says the colleges aren’t ranked in order from No. 1 to No. 385. Colleges are ranked on the more specific lists like “best campus food,” “best college newspaper” and “party schools.”

In all, there are 62 of these lists and each list includes a ranking of the top 20 colleges in that category.

The Virginia colleges on the overall best 385 schools list are:

• Randolph-Macon College, Ashland
  • Ranked 14th in Is It Food?
  • Ranked 17th in Best Career Services
• Virginia Tech, Blacksburg
  • Ranked 5th in Best Campus Food
  • Ranked 8th in Their Students Love These Colleges
  • Ranked 10th in Best Quality of Life
  • Ranked 14th in Happiest Students
• University of Virginia, Charlottesville
  • Ranked 19th in Best College Library
  • Ranked 19th in Best College Newspaper
  • Ranked 20th in Lots of Beer
• George Mason University, Fairfax
  • Ranked 9th in Financial Aid Not So Great
  • Ranked 11th in Least Happy Students
  • Ranked 13th in Professors Get Low Marks
  • Ranked 18th in Least Beautiful Campus
• Hampden-Sydney College, Hampden-Sydney
  • Ranked 1st in Is It Food?
  • Ranked 4th in Most Conservative Students
  • Ranked 5th in Best College Library
  • Ranked 13th in Most Politically Active Students
• Hampton University, Hampton
  • No individual category rankings
  • James Madison University, Harrisonburg
  • Ranked 8th in Best Campus Food
  • Randolph College, Lynchburg
  • Ranked 14th in Nobody Plays Intramural Sports
  • Ranked 18th in Most Accessible Professors
  • University of Lynchburg, Lynchburg
  • Ranked 19th in Best-Run Colleges
  • Christopher Newport University, Newport News
  • Ranked 12th in Most Engaged in Community Service
  • Ranked 14th in Best College Dorms
  • Ranked 16th in Best Quality of Life
  • Ranked 16th in Happiest Students
  • Ranked 17th in Most Beautiful Campus
  • Ranked 18th in Best-Run Colleges
  • Ranked 18th in Their Students Love These Colleges
  • Hollins University, Roanoke
• Ranked 2nd in There's a Game?

• Ranked 4th in Most Politically Active Students
• Ranked 16th in Most Active Student Government
• Ranked 19th in Best College Theater

• University of Richmond, Richmond

• Ranked 2nd in Best Career Services
• Ranked 4th in Little Race/Class Interaction
• Ranked 5th in Best-Run Colleges
• Ranked 5th in Most Beautiful Campus
• Ranked 6th in Best Athletic Facilities
• Ranked 7th in Best Classroom Experience
• Ranked 9th in Happiest Students
• Ranked 10th in Best Quality of Life
• Ranked 12th in Best Campus Food
• Ranked 12th in Lots of Beer
• Ranked 14th in Best College Library
• Ranked 15th in Most Popular Study Abroad Program
• Ranked 16th in Their Students Love These Colleges
• Ranked 19th in Most Accessible Professors
• Ranked 19th in Professors Get High Marks

• No individual category rankings

• Ranked 2nd in Lots of Race/Class Interaction
• Ranked 6th in Best College Library
• Ranked 6th in Happiest Students
• Ranked 6th in Their Students Love These Colleges
• Ranked 7th in Most Engaged in Community Service
• Ranked 8th in Best Science Lab Facilities
• Ranked 9th in Best Career Services
• Ranked 9th in Most Popular Study Abroad Program
• Ranked 12th in Best Quality of Life
• Ranked 15th in LGBTQ-Friendly
• Ranked 16th in Most Beautiful Campus
• Ranked 18th in Best College Theater

• University of Mary Washington, Fredericksburg
  • No individual category rankings
  • Roanoke College, Salem
• No individual category rankings

Here's a breakdown of the best colleges in DC and their rankings in the various categories:

• American University
  • Ranked 1st in Nobody Plays Intramural Sports
  • Ranked 5th in College City Gets High Marks
  • Ranked 5th in Most Politically Active Students
  • Ranked 7th in Most Active Student Government
  • Ranked 12th in Financial Aid Not So Great
  • Ranked 18th in Most Popular Study Abroad Program
• Catholic University of America
  • Ranked 9th in Most Engaged in Community Service
  • Ranked 11th in Most Religious Students
  • Ranked 17th in Financial Aid Not So Great
• George Washington University
  • No individual category rankings
• Georgetown University
  • No individual category rankings
• Howard University
  • Ranked 10th in Least Accessible Professors

Princeton Review says the colleges on the best 385 list are selected primarily based on the organization’s “high opinion of their academics.” Princeton Review closely analyzes more than 2,000 schools and collects feedback from students, educators, parents and advisors. The 62 specific lists that rank the top 20 schools in each category are compiled using a student survey.

Read the full Princeton Review methodology and see the schools ranked in each of the 62 lists.