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The Princeton Review Names Virginia Wesleyan Among Best Colleges for 2026
The streak continues as VWU is once again selected for inclusion in “Best Colleges” and “Region by Region” guides
University News | August 28, 2025
VWU is proud to announce its inclusion in The Princeton Review's 2026 Best Colleges guide for the eighth consecutive year. The annual rankings are based on surveys of students, providing insights into campus culture and the quality of academic and extracurricular life.
“The colleges we profile in our ‘Best Colleges’ book are a truly select group. They constitute only about 15% of America's nearly 2,400 four-year institutions,” said Rob Franek, Editor-in-Chief of The Princeton Review and the book's lead author. “While they vary by locale, type, size, and campus culture, each one offers its students an academically outstanding undergraduate education. In our opinion, they are the nation's best undergraduate colleges and ideal choices for students seeking their 'best-fit' college.”
In its profile on VWU, The Princeton Review states that VWU students enjoy the small classes at Virginia Wesleyan University, a liberal arts school where “you're more than a number.” Flexibility is the key to “making every single student feel as though this is their second home, and that every person they come into contact with is looking out for [their] best interest.” That can be seen in the research and internship opportunities but is most keenly felt in course offerings, which extend from study away programs ranging from one week to one year to a single-course-focused three-week January term-required for first and second-years but open to all-and a discounted summer session to catch up, get ahead, or simply explore.”
Across the 42 majors, students find many classes to be “discussion or interaction-based” and “always taught by...professors” rather than teaching assistants. The professors here seem to genuinely care about their students and are approachable outside the classroom.” It's an environment where “professors make lifelong connections with students.” As one student emphasizes, “I have never met a faculty so invested in my own personal success."
“Our students are the heart of our University — our purpose,” President Scott D. Miller explained. “Inclusion in this esteemed list clearly demonstrates the quality and value of a VWU education.”
Learn more about Virginia Wesleyan University's accolades.