Nichols College is again one of the best colleges in the Northeast, according to The Princeton Review. The nationally known education services company lists Nichols among its “Best in the Northeast”-recommended schools in its “2019 Best Colleges: Region by Region” website feature that posted this month. The list includes only 225 colleges in the 11-state Northeast region that stand out as academically excellent and that have strong regional reputations.
In its online profile of Nichols College, The Princeton Review describes Nichols as offering undergraduates both a “close-knit community” and a “commitment to practical knowledge that will set students up for future success. It’s also an institution that prioritizes the needs of its students, helping with everything from financial assistance to networking opportunities.”
“We chose Nichols primarily for its excellent academics,” said Robert Franek, The Princeton Review’s editor-in-chief. The Princeton Review editors made their selections based on data the company collected from its survey of administrators at several hundred colleges in each region, as well as its staff visits to schools over the years, and the perspectives of college counselors and advisors whose opinions the company solicits. It also gave consideration to what students enrolled at the schools reported to them about their campus experiences on an 80-question student survey.
The Princeton Review survey asks students to rate their colleges on several issues—from the accessibility of their professors to the quality of their science lab facilities—and answer questions about themselves, their fellow students, and their campus life. Comments from surveyed students are quoted in the school profiles on The Princeton Review site.
Some commented that Nichols students benefit from “well-connected” professors who have “often worked professionally in their field, and know how to translate that experience into a teaching environment.” Students also said that Nichols faculty are “always available for extra help, whether it is after class or during their office hours. All in all, the professors and staff and everyone around you at Nichols College are thrilled to help you and see you succeed.”
Students noted that given that Nichols is a “small campus, it’s easy for undergraduates to feel as though their peers ‘are like family.’ And certainly, it helps that the majority of students here are ‘very kind and friendly.’ Many also prove themselves to be ‘ambitious and enthusiastic’: Nichols attracts students that are ‘eager to learn.’”
Nichols College President Susan West Engelkemeyer, Ph.D., noted that Nichols is proud to again be named among the best colleges in the Northeast.
“One of our students told The Princeton Review: ‘Nichols is [truly] a community, not just a college,’” said President Engelkemeyer. “Thatis part of Nichols College’s essence, and only one of the reasons why we are continually named a Princeton Review ‘Best in the Northeast’ college.
“This recognition is a testament to the commitment our dedicated and hard-working faculty and staff have to Nichols students, as they are shaped into tomorrow’s leaders through a dynamic, career-focused business and professional education,” added President Engelkemeyer.
– Lorraine U. Martinelle
Director of Public Relations and Social Media
Nichols College, Dudley, Mass.