Marist Ranked 25th Best College by Princeton Review – But What Do Students Think?

Photo by Greta Stuckey ‘23

Many variables go into ranking a school as the "25th best" among 389 of the top colleges in the United States, as well as among the "Top 10" in the Northeast. Through the collection of student surveys, The Princeton Review considers real student body insight on hot topics such as residential life, campus dining, academics, and overall satisfaction. Although it was Marist students who decided this, are some surprised to hear of our school’s high standing?

In Princeton’s review, Marist currently sits at 21st place in the “Best College Dorms” category. While upperclassmen North End buildings such as McCormick and O’Shea are undoubtedly modern, spacious, and up-to-date, freshman housing, on the other hand, has experienced a number of critical issues. Catastrophic leaks, flooding, mold, malfunctioning elevators, water cut-offs, as well as zero A/C units during humid summer temps are just some of the many complaints made over the years. With these incidents considered, many Marist students feel as though their first year did not live up to “21st” status.

“I’m on the 8th floor of Champ,” an anonymous class of ‘27 student explained. “Waking up to a mountain view every day is awesome, waiting for elevators constantly is not.”

Furthermore, in an Instagram survey of 22 Marist students who were asked to rate the conditions of their freshman dorm, a majority (eight students) attested to “bad conditions”, while four answered “terrible”, seven answered “satisfactory” and only three answered “good.” In accordance with students’ first-year dorming, a follow-up survey asking the same group to rank their Marist dining experience so far resulted in a majority of 10 students stating a “bad experience.”

While the freshmen dorming and campus dining experience at Marist might be improved, students appear to be content with their overall education at Marist. According to Marist’s article written about the Princeton ranking, “Marist students praise the College for interactive, challenging classes. Students also noted faculty support beyond the classroom, with professors and advisors valuing real-life experiences and fostering professional connections.”

“It’s always a luck-of-the-draw with classes and professors,” explains Teresa Di Pelino ‘26, “but the classes that are geared towards specific majors tend to be the best ones. I especially find that with me personally as a fashion major, the fashion classes I have taken have been the most interesting and fulfilling at Marist.”

Being that Marist’s graduation rate is a promising 80%, the quality of academics speaks for itself, compared to the average 68% rate of all other private American colleges.

“A sense of community is a core value at Marist and we believe in education that extends beyond the classroom, where professors and advisors nurture real-life connections and encourage personal growth,” states Marist’s Executive Vice President, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer Geoffrey Brackett. “Marist is not just a college, but a home away from home, where students find camaraderie and inspiration. These rankings exemplify our commitment to providing the best possible housing and student life experience.”

Change can be expected to appear in the future as Marist continues to expand, leading to updated residence and dining quality. But as the college stands now, Marist offers educational experiences and opportunities that I have not seen in most other institutions, leading me to the conclusion that Marist is thus ranked accurately by the Princeton Review standards.