CAL U: STILL 'BEST IN THE NORTHEAST'

Posted on August 21, 2012

California University of Pennsylvania remains one of the best universities in the northeastern United States, according to The Princeton Review.

The nationally known education services company selected Cal U as one of the 222 institutions it profiles in the Best in the Northeast section of its “2013 Best Colleges: Region By Region” listing at www.PrincetonReview.com.

This is the eighth consecutive year that Cal U has been recognized by The Princeton Review. Nationally, 633 colleges — about 25 percent of the country’s 2,500 four-year institutions — were named as regional bests this year.

In its online profile of Cal U, The Princeton Review notes the university’s “long tradition of excellence” and its “diverse array of major and minor programs of study” in liberal arts, science and technology and professional studies. Cal U also earned top marks in the “Green” category for “its performance as an environmentally aware and responsible institution.”

Students said Cal U’s “facilities are top-notch” and praised the “wonderful” residence halls. “It’s in a small town so it feels safe, but it’s only 45 minutes from the airport and downtown Pittsburgh,” one contributor said.

"I have seen and met so many people from different backgrounds (and) all walks of life, from freshmen right out of local high schools, (to) students from Brazil, Canada and Europe, to older, non-traditional students pursuing a higher education,” another student stated. “I think it is this unique blend of people that makes Cal U special."

Selection

Colleges designated as “best” were chosen primarily for their excellent academic programs, according to Robert Franek, The Princeton Review’s senior vice president and publisher. Schools were selected based on data collected at hundreds of institutions, visits to schools, and the opinions of independent and high-school-based college advisers who are invited to share their recommendations. Student comments also play an important role in the annual rankings.

Locations

The 222 “Best Northeastern Colleges” are located in Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and the District of Columbia.