Earlham College’s history of classroom excellence and LGBTQIA-friendliness recognized by Princeton Review

Earlham College has been noted for an additional year by The Princeton Review’s “Best 390 Colleges” for its excellence in classroom experience and noted LGBTQIA-friendly campus.

The College is included on two rankings lists: Classroom Experience and LGBTQ-Friendly, two “Great” lists that institutions vie for.  These accolades are not new for Earlham, an institution with a consistent track record of excellence in teaching and prioritization of diversity in its student body.  The College ranked 7th overall for Best Classroom Experience and 8th overall for LGBTQ-Friendliness.

“We are deeply grateful to be recognized for our excellence in the classroom and longstanding commitment to LGBTQIA inclusivity by The Princeton Review,” said Earlham President Paul Sniegowski. “Our close-knit community, where students and faculty interact with each other on a first-name basis, fosters an environment of mutual respect and personal connection. This dynamic not only enriches our academic experience but also strengthens our dedication to creating a supportive and welcoming space for all students.”

In a national survey conducted by The Princeton Review, Earlham was noted as offering “small class sizes [that allow] faculty to easily connect with students.”  This is a result of Earlham’s low student to faculty ratio — students have plenty of opportunity to “have a strong and close connection with professors” who are “extremely available and willing to connect.”  As one student survey participant put it, “Each professor…has made me care about the subject of their class in a way I never would have expected — whether that’s opening up a field I already love or finding ways to connect new material to the subjects that are close to me.”

Furthermore, many undergrads surveyed feel that the “possibilities are endless” at Earlham regarding campus activities and that despite being a small school, Earlham yields a “diverse population” with students “from all over the world” who enrich the campus “with kindness and respect.”  As another undergrad put it, “Earlham is hippies.  Earlham is bare feet and climbing trees. Earlhamites are activists. They are Earth lovers, peace lovers, and lovers of learning.”  They “care a lot about [their] community” and “make sure everyone feels welcomed,” including and especially students of minority backgrounds, such as those who identify as LGBTQIA. 

Earlham’s campus boasts multiple LGBTQIA-affiliation groups for students such as the Trans Student Union, and organizations regularly organize events surrounding Trans Day of Visibility, National Coming Out Day, and other important LGBTQIA community holidays.  The College also has a Pride Room for students to hang out and relax in with their peers, and regularly hosts the Lavender and Multicultural graduations for students.  The campus holds a 4.5 out of 5 stars rating on the Campus Pride Index and is striving to make that a perfect 5 out 5.

In and outside of the classroom, Earlhamites are driven to change the world for good.  Students thrive in a collaborative learning environment with plenty of opportunity for study abroad programs and experiential learning, including at least one career-discerning experience prior to graduation. The College’s Epic Advantage program ensures that experience via either an internship, study abroad opportunity, research project, or community project virtually anywhere in the world.

Recent graduates have gone on to earn such prestigious awards as the Rhodes Scholarship, the Knight-Hennessy Scholarship, the Watson Fellowship, Fulbright scholarships, the Pulitzer Prize, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and the Golden Globe award.  Roughly 91 percent of recent graduates were hired within six months, volunteering or pursuing graduate school.  Finally, more than 80 percent of Earlham students who apply to medical school are accepted — about twice the national average.

Earlham is also routinely featured in other popular college guides, such as U.S. News and World Report, who recognizes the College for its commitment to undergraduate education, value and diversity.

By Jay Kibble, writer/editor for Earlham’s Office of Marketing & Communications

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About Earlham College 

Earlham College and Earlham School of Religion foster a collaborative learning community that inspires and motivates students with transformative opportunities and experiences so they can become catalysts for good in a changing world. Located in Richmond, Indiana, Earlham is one of U.S. News & World Report’s Top 100 national liberal arts colleges and offers one of the top 20 classroom experiences in the nation, according to the Princeton Review.