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The Princeton Review has placed the University of �鶹������ý at Lafayette among the top 15 percent of the nation’s four-year colleges for undergraduate education.

The educational services company released its 2019 edition of “The Best 384 Colleges” on Tuesday. The guide’s editors first considered about 2,500 public and private colleges and universities in the U.S.

“We picked the 384 ‘best’ colleges for our book primarily for their outstanding academics. We highly recommend each one,” said Robert Franek, The Princeton Review's editor-in-chief and the book’s lead author.

The guide does not rank schools from 1 to 384 in any category. Instead, it uses students’ ratings of their schools to compile 62 ranking lists of top 20 colleges.

The lists are based on what respondents have to say about professors, campus culture and student life. Prospective students can use the information to narrow their college searches, Franek said.

“In the end, it's all about the fit” for students, he added.

�鶹������ý Lafayette ranked high in “Town-Gown Relations,” the connection between the University and its environs. 

One survey respondent said students embody “Lafayette’s culture: creative, friendly and food-loving.” Another cited the emphasis the University places on community service, while a biology major lauded the region’s cultural calendar packed with events such as Festival Acadiens et Créoles and Festival International de Louisiane.

Survey participants further highlighted the University’s attentive and passionate faculty, and its welcoming and diverse student body.

“Everyone accepts one another for who they are. There are friends for everyone,” said one respondent.

Another replied: “We have students of all ethnicities, races, religions and styles. There are very few social boundaries and everyone is accepting of our diverse student body.”

Dr. DeWayne Bowie, vice president for Enrollment Management, said the University’s inclusion in the guidebook is “especially gratifying since it’s based on responses from our students.”

“Their appraisals offer first-hand knowledge of the academic and extracurricular opportunities we offer, and prospective students can rely on that advice as they work to choose a college that’s best for them.”

The complete list of school profiles and rankings are available at .

The Princeton Review is known for its tutoring, test-prep courses, books, and other student resources. It is not affiliated with Princeton University.

This is the 27th edition of its “Best Colleges” guide.

Photo caption: Nhu Lam is a junior in �鶹������ý Lafayette’s College of Nursing and Allied Health Professions. (Photo credit: Doug Dugas / University of �鶹������ý at Lafayette)