2023 Private Colleges of Distinction

Updated on March 1, 2023

What Is a College of Distinction?

A College of Distinction is…

Nationally recognized by education professionals as an excellent school.
Some of these schools are well known to the general public, and some—unfortunately—are not. No matter what, every school profiled has been honored for the excellence of its programs, highly recommended by those in-the-know about college education.

Strongly focused on teaching undergraduates.
Beginning right away, students are taught by real professors, not graduate students or teaching assistants. In these vibrant classrooms, the faculty actually know their students by name and keep them challenged and interested.

Home to a wide variety of innovative learning experiences.
We know students are more than just majors or GPAs, and learning is more than just attending classes. From study abroad and scientific research to service-learning and internships, these schools sponsor many exciting hands-on programs that open up new ideas, new worlds, and new opportunities.

An active campus community with many opportunities for personal development.
These are real residential communities, not suitcase colleges that shut down at 5 p.m. Whatever your sport, hobby, or passion, you’ll find it here, along with plenty of encouragement to help you pursue it.

We applaud schools that value diversity and thus make an active effort to support underserved communities from recruitment, throughout school, and beyond the completion of their degree. We applaud those that offer financial support, academic support, physical and mental health support, and community support alike. We applaud those that not only enroll and employ a diverse community, but also cater consciously to their specific needs. After all, a campus community is not truly vibrant unless it is just as inclusive as it is diverse.

Highly valued by graduate schools and employers for its outstanding preparation.
Employers and grad schools value the preparation offered at these schools. Whether you want a Ph.D., an MBA, or just a great job that interests you, these schools have a long track record of successful graduates.

Our schools exceed expectations in the area of career development, equipping students with the self-reflection, job market research, and networking skills needed for their lifelong career journey.

Our Evaluation Process

In evaluating schools, Colleges of Distinction asks the question “What colleges are the best places to learn, to grow, and to succeed?”

In doing so, we go beyond traditional ranking models that assess colleges based on things like historic prestige, selectivity, athletic prowess, and the size of its endowment. These ranking systems also tend to focus on the perceived “top” schools, despite the fact that the vast majority of students do not attend the small, exclusive selection of “big-name” schools.

Instead, Colleges of Distinction honors and recognizes the hundreds of teaching-centered colleges that make up the fabric of the American educational system, schools that deliver well our four overarching distinctions—Engagement, Teaching, Community, and Outcomes—which are the fundamental elements of an effective undergraduate education.

Another way that Colleges of Distinction stands apart from other college ranking systems is that we are not “one size fits all.” Traditional ranking systems are based on the assumption that all students are alike, all degrees are equal, and the goal of all students is to go to a highly selective school. This, of course, isn’t true. There are all kinds of colleges, just as there are all kinds of students. We take into account school type and regional considerations as well as do peer assessments within a school’s category in order to paint a true profile of each institution’s distinctive qualities.

To be designated a “college of distinction,” a school’s curriculum must emphasize such core competencies as critical thinking, writing, oral skills, research, and global perspectives. They must also offer dynamic out-of-classroom learning and study abroad programs. Our process is objective, in-depth, and qualitative; however, we also take into account such quantitative data as class-size statistics, faculty-to-student ratio, plus retention and four-year graduation rates.

Once a school is deemed qualified to be among Colleges of Distinction, an in-depth profile of the school is published on our website. Additionally, the institution is given a set of Colleges of Distinction badges to be displayed on their website and social media venues.

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