For the second year in a row, Washington State University has received high marks from the Princeton Review for its student-focused services and welcoming campus environment.
WSU ranked highly in a number of categories, from friendliest students (#10) to best campus housing (#16). The range of categories in which WSU earned a spot in the top 25 reflects both the quality of the WSU experience and the sense of community students have during their time on campus.
“A large part of what makes WSU, WSU is the people,” said Luke Deschenes, this year’s ASWSU president and a senior construction management major. “I 100% agree that we have the friendliest students. Talking about the ‘Cougar spirit’ is cliché, but holds true – the culture around WSU is unique, and the people that go here are truly special and create an environment of welcoming and friendliness.”
The annual Princeton Review rankings (not affiliated with Princeton University) are based on a survey administered to 165,000 students at 389 colleges and universities nationwide. Deschenes said it’s significant that WSU ranked so highly in a college review that’s based solely on student feedback.
“It really holds weight to hear this kind of feedback from students,” he said. “It gives a more realistic look at WSU than feedback from other people – we’re hearing from people who are directly experiencing life at WSU. I love to hear that students are having a good experience here.”
High rankings reflect hard work
Among the services ranked highly by WSU students are campus health (#7), food (#20), and student support and counseling (#21).
Dining Services moved up four places from last year’s list, something Director of Dining Services Sarah Larson credits to her team’s focus on understanding what students want and need and doing their best to meet those needs.
“We’ve been trying to understand the new norms and how we can continue to provide the best service to our students,” she said. “We’re doing that by focusing on excellence with every student interaction and with projects like the reusable containers at Northside and the new Hillside Espresso space. This ranking is a reflection of the hard work and dedication of everyone in Dining Services.”
For Joel Schwartzkopf, executive director of Cougar Health Services and assistant vice chancellor for health and well-being, ranking in the top 25 for both mental and physical health services reflects the holistic, integrated, high-quality nature of the care students receive at CHS.
“We are proud of what we do at Cougar Health Services, and it’s exciting to see that our students have once again recognized us as a top 25 provider of medical and mental health services!” he said. “Our staff work hard every day to ensure that students have timely, safe, efficient, and inclusive care for all of their medical needs, and that shows in these rankings.”
WSU ranked highly in a number of other categories, including:
- #4 Happiest Students
- #6 Best Quality of Life
- #6 Most Active Student Government
- #7 Their Students Love These Colleges
- #19 Most Engaged in Community Service
- #22 Best Career Services
For a full list of WSU’s rankings, visit the Princeton Review website.
