Top college guide ranks Earlham’s classroom experience, climate for LGBTQ students, among nation’s best

Earlham College is one of the nation’s best for classroom excellence and support for LGBTQ community members, according to The Princeton Review’s Best 389 Colleges: 2024 Edition.

The popular guide ranks Earlham 7^th in the nation for “Best Classroom Experience” and 9^th among “LGBTQ-Friendly” schools.  Rankings are based on survey results from 165,000 students nationwide. Just 25 colleges and universities were included on each list.

Institutions recognized for “Best Classroom Experience” earned high praise on student surveys for the quality of their faculty and for the percentage of classes students attend. These schools also prioritize classroom discussion instead of lectures, the guide says.

Students who were surveyed describe the Earlham classroom as “rigorous,” interesting” and “engaging.” One student described the College’s professors as “incredibly knowledgeable friends who have a strong interest in your future and helping you succeed.”

This is the eighth consecutive year Earlham has been recognized as a “Best Classroom Experience,” Earlham President Anne Houtman notes.

“Our faculty are leaders in the academy who challenge and support students in equal measure,” said Earlham President Anne Houtman. “Students often form close relationships with their professors and benefit from their mentorship and expertise well into their careers.”

“LGBTQ-friendly” schools are based on how strongly students agree that their fellow students treat all persons equally, regardless of their sexual orientation and gender identity/expression. In survey responses, students describe Earlham’s student body as “concerned about social issues and justice” and “act with kindness and compassion.”

The “Best Colleges” guide, now in its 32^nd year, features just 15 percent of America’s four-year colleges and universities.

“We created our rankings to provide a resource for college applicants that helps them answer what may well be the toughest question in their college search — ‘What’s the best school for me?’” said Rob Franek, editor-in-chief of The Princeton Review and lead author of The Best 389 Colleges. “Our selection of colleges for this book reflects our high opinion of the schools: we recommend each one as academically outstanding. Our ranking lists reflect the opinions of the school’s students—their customers—and their reports to us about their campus experiences.”