Catawba College is one of the 375 most environmentally responsible colleges, according to The Princeton Review (www.PrincetonReview.com). The education services company features Catawba in the 2017 edition of its free book, The Princeton Review Guide to 375 Green Colleges. Published September 19, Catawba’s ranking can be accessed at www.princetonreview.com/green-guide.
The Princeton Review chose the schools for this seventh annual edition of its "green guide" based on data from the company's 2016-17 survey of hundreds of four-year colleges concerning the schools' commitments to the environment and sustainability. The colleges’ inclusion in the publication was based on "Green Rating" scores (from 60 to 99) that the company tallied in summer 2017 for 629 colleges using data from its 2016-17 survey of school administrators. 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 assessment.
Schools with Green Rating scores of 80 or higher made it into this guide. Most of the schools (362) in this edition are in the U.S. Twelve are in Canada. One is in Egypt.
“We are proud that Catawba achieved a ‘Green Rating’ score of 94 out of 99,” shared Catawba President Brien Lewis. “This independent affirmation of our ongoing sustainability efforts on campus is very rewarding to us, and we hope it is also meaningful to prospective students who seek a college with a long-term environmental commitment.”
The Princeton Review cites Catawba’s Public GHG Inventory Plan, its Sustainability Committee, and campus Bike Share program as attributes used to calculate its ‘Green Rating.”
"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, Senior VP-Publisher.
Franek noted the growing interest the company has seen among college-bound students in green colleges. "Among more than 10,000 teens and parents who participated in our 2017 College Hopes & Worries Survey, 64% told us that having information about a school’s commitment to the environment would influence their decision to apply to or attend the college." (A complete report on that survey is at www.princetonreview.com/college-hopes-worries.)
The profiles in The Princeton Review's Guide to 375 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.
