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VWU Featured in The Princeton Review's Guide to 375 Green Colleges: 2017 Edition
"Green Facts" about VWU include concerted efforts to implement sustainable practices
NEWS RELEASE | September 21, 2017
Virginia Wesleyan University (VWU) is one of the 375 most environmentally responsible colleges according to The Princeton Review (www.PrincetonReview.com). The education services company known for its test prep and tutoring services, books, and college rankings features VWU in the 2017 edition of its free book, The Princeton Review Guide to 375 Green Colleges. The ranking can be accessed at www.princetonreview.com/green-guide. The Princeton Review first published this guide in 2010. It remains the only free, annually updated downloadable guide to green colleges.
The Princeton Review chose the schools for this seventh annual edition of its "green guide" based on data from the company's 2016-17 survey of hundreds of four-year colleges concerning the schools' commitments to the environment and sustainability.
"We strongly recommend Virginia Wesleyan University and the other fine colleges in this guide to the many environmentally-minded students who seek to study and live at green colleges," said The Princeton Review's Robert Franek, Senior VP-Publisher.
Franek noted the growing interest the company has seen among college-bound students in green colleges. "Among more than 10,000 teens and parents who participated in our 2017 College Hopes & Worries Survey, 64% told us that having information about a school’s commitment to the environment would influence their decision to apply to or attend the college." A complete report on that survey is at www.princetonreview.com/college-hopes-worries.
The profiles in The Princeton Review's Guide to 375 Green Colleges provide information about each school's admission requirements, cost and financial aid, and student body stats. They also include "Green Facts" about the schools. Virginian Wesleyan’s profile cites the University’s dedication to going green as being “palpable and inspiring.” It also states that “VWU makes a concerted effort to implement sustainable practices in as many realms as possible,” including construction, clean water, use of native plants, recycling, and the active involvement of students on committees such as the President’s Environmental Issues Council. Overall, Virginia Wesleyan placed a respectable 168th (with well over 600 colleges competing).
The Princeton Review chose the colleges based on "Green Rating" scores (from 60 to 99) that the company tallied in summer 2017 for 629 colleges using data from its 2016-17 survey of school administrators. The survey asked them to report on their school's sustainability-related policies, practices, and programs. More than 25 data points were weighted in the assessment. Schools with Green Rating scores of 80 or higher made it into this guide. Most of the schools (362) in this edition are in the U.S. Twelve are in Canada. One is in Egypt. Information about Princeton Review's Green Rating and its Green Honor Roll saluting schools that received the highest possible rating score, 99, is at www.princetonreview.com/green-guide.