Two New London Schools Make "Best Colleges" Lists

The and are included on two "best colleges" lists in the latest Princeton Review rankings.

The scores, released Wednesday, analyze a number of factors each year to name the top colleges in different regions as well as the nation as a whole. The two New London colleges each made it onto the list of Best 377 Colleges and Best Northeastern Schools. Neither of these lists is ranked numerically.

Although Connecticut College did not make the top 20 for any of 62 categories based on student surveys, the Coast Guard Academy rated in the top 20 for 12 of these lists. These rankings are for both positive and negative reactions to campus life, academics, extracurricular activities, and other factors.

Based on cadet responses, the Princeton Review rated the Coast Guard number one in the nation in the "Don't Inhale" ranking, which indicates that marijuana is not widely used on campus. The campus placed on several other sobriety rankings as well, scoring fourth on the list of "Stone-Cold Sober Schools" ranking the prevalence of alcohol and drug use, time dedicated to studies, and the popularity of fraternities and sororities; 12th on the "Got Milk?" list indicating infrequent use of beer; and 17th on the "Scotch and Soda, Hold The Scotch" list indicating infrequent use of hard liquor.

Other cadet responses reflected conservatism at the school. The academy was 15th on the list of "Most Conservative Students" and ninth on the list of "Future Rotarians and Daughters of the American Revolution." The latter poll indicates survey responses where students reported "personal political persuasions to be very conservative, low levels of acceptance of the gay community on campus, high levels of popularity for student government on campus, and a very religious student body," according to the Princeton Review.

Cadet responses ranked the school third on the list of "Most Accessible Professors," ninth on the list of "Best-Run Colleges, and 13th on the list of "Everyone Plays Intramural Sports."

In negative rankings, the Coast Guard Academy responses put New London second on the list entitled "College City Gets Low Marks" after the city . Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, Ala., tops this list. The academy also came in fourth on "Is That A Dorm?" regarding uncomfortable dormitory housing and 15th on the list of "Least Happy Students."

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