Princeton Review Names OBU 'Best in the West' for 2015

August 19, 2014

For the 10th consecutive year, OBU has been named one of the best colleges and universities in the western United States by The Princeton Review. OBU was one of 124 institutions recommended in the "Best in the West" section on the educational research firm's website feature, "2015 Best Colleges: Region by Region."

Colleges selected each year must meet two criteria. First, they must pass reviews for academic excellence. Princeton Review makes those assessments based on data collected in administrator surveys and information from both staff and counselor advisors who are invited to participate in the survey. Second, students at each college are independently surveyed through a secure online survey. Students are asked to rate their own school on several issues, from the accessibility of their professors to the quality of the campus food, and answer questions about themselves, their fellow students and their campus life.

"Oklahoma Baptist University is pleased to once again be recognized by The Princeton Review as a 'Best in the West' institution," said OBU President David W. Whitlock. "The fact that The Princeton Review ranking is based on feedback from OBU students and college advisors reflects the excellence in academics and campus life found on Bison Hill. The designation also reflects the commitment of OBU's students, faculty and staff."

Comments from surveyed students are quoted in the school profiles on The Princeton Review website. "OBU has a fantastic education curriculum," a Spanish major stated. "It incorporates faith and learning, which is applicable to our everyday lives. It's a Christian university that focuses on the liberal arts so that students are exposed to many different areas of study in order to succeed in a diverse world."

Students also offered high praise for their professors, describing them as "passionate" and "inspiring." One student explained, "Professors are engaging, encouraging and happy to help students." Outstanding academics and a prevailing respect for "amazing" professors are how most students surveyed defined their educational experience at OBU.

According to Princeton Review's website, production of the regional designation feature "is fueled by a desire to raise awareness of academically excellent colleges for students looking to study within a specific geographic area. Many of these schools are nationally-renowned institutions of higher learning, but others may be less familiar to you.

OBU is one of seven Oklahoma schools receiving the merit, among the 124 colleges honored in the 15-state region. The Princeton Review does not rank the colleges in its list hierarchically. The University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University, Oklahoma Christian University, Oklahoma City University, Oral Roberts University and the University of Tulsa also made the list. The "Best in the West" colleges are located in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.

The Princeton Review also designated 226 colleges in the Northeast, 159 in the Midwest, and 139 in the Southeast as best in their locales on the company's "2015 Best Colleges: Region by Region" lists. Collectively, the 648 colleges named "regional best(s)" constitute about 25 percent of the nation's 2,500 four-year colleges.

The Princeton Review is known for its tutoring and classroom test preparation courses, books, and college and graduate school admission services. Its corporate headquarters is in Framingham, Massachusetts, and editorial offices are in New York City. It is not affiliated with Princeton University, and it is not a magazine.