Catawba College is one of the 399 most environmentally responsible colleges according to The Princeton Review (www.PrincetonReview.com). The education services company known for its test prep and tutoring services, books, and college rankings features Catawba College with a Green Rating score of 97 out of 99 in the 2018 edition of its free book, The Princeton Review Guide to 399 Green Colleges.
Published October 16, the ranking can be accessed at www.princetonreview.com/green-guide.
The Princeton Review chose the schools for this ninth annual edition of its "green guide" based on data from the company's 2017-18 survey of hundreds of four-year colleges concerning the schools' commitments to the environment and sustainability. (Notes follow on how schools were chosen.)
“We continue to take pride in the fact that Catawba is recognized nationally for its commitment to sustainability,” said Catawba President Brien Lewis. “Outside affirmation of our green efforts on campus highlights Catawba College as an outstanding choice for prospective students who seek a college with a long-term environmental commitment.”
"We strongly recommend Catawba College and the other fine colleges in this guide to the many environmentally-minded students who seek to study and live at green colleges," said The Princeton Review's Robert Franek, Editor-in-Chief.
Franek noted that college applicants and their parents are increasingly concerned about the environment and sustainability issues. Among nearly 11,000 teens and parents The Princeton Review surveyed earlier this year for its 2018 "College Hopes & Worries Survey," 63% overall said having information about a college's commitment to the environment would influence their decision to apply to or attend the school." The full survey report is at www.princetonreview.com/college-hopes-worries.
The profiles in The Princeton Review's Guide to 399 Green Colleges provide information about each school's admission requirements, cost and financial aid, and student body stats. They also include "Green Facts" about the schools with details on the availability of transportation alternatives at the schools and the percentage of the school food budgets spent on local/organic food.
The Princeton Review first published this guide in 2010. It remains the only free, annually updated downloadable guide to green colleges. The company is also known for its dozens of categories of college rankings in its annual books, The Best 384 Colleges and Best Value Colleges.
How Schools Were Chosen for the Guide
The Princeton Review chose the colleges based on "Green Rating" scores the company tallied in summer 2018 for 648 colleges using data from its survey of administrators at the colleges in 2017-18. The survey asked them to report on their school's sustainability-related policies, practices, and programs. More than 25 data points were weighted in the tallies for the Green Rating score which was done on a scale of 60 to 99. Colleges with Green Rating scores of 80 or higher made it into this guide. The Green Rating scores can be found in the profiles of the schools on www.princetonreview.com and in the 2019 editions of The Princeton Review books, The Complete Book of Colleges and The Best 384 Colleges published in August 2018. Information about Princeton Review's Green Rating and its Green Honor Roll (which lists schools that receive the highest possible rating score, 99), is at www.princetonreview.com/green-guide.
