Wheaton ranked by The Princeton Review as one of the nation’s best colleges
Students highlight classroom experience, career advising and the beauty of our Norton, Mass., campus among Wheaton’s key strengths
[Norton, Mass.]—Wheaton College has once again earned a place among the nation’s top undergraduate institutions in The Princeton Review’s annual college guide.The education services company selected Wheaton for inclusion in the Best 392 Colleges: 2027 Edition, which profiles about 14 percent of the nation’s nearly 2,800 four-year colleges.
The recognition reflects the quality and flexibility of Wheaton’s academic offerings and the strong relationships that students develop with faculty members as well as the beauty of the college’s Norton, Mass., campus.
Wheaton students surveyed by The Princeton Review described their classes as filled with “active learning” and said professors “encourage you to ask questions instead of quietly sitting in the back of the classroom.” They also praised faculty members as “incredibly knowledgeable in their fields” and committed to putting students’ interests first.
One junior highlighted how faculty support extends beyond the classroom.
“My art history professors have helped me get internships over the summer, given me research opportunities, and helped me with my transition to college,” the student said. “I honestly couldn’t ask for a better support system.”
The Princeton Review gave Wheaton an academic rating of 88 out of 99. Professors received exceptional ratings—92 for being interesting teachers and 93 for being accessible to students outside of class meeting times. The college has an 11-to-1 student-faculty ratio, and its most common class and lab size is 15 to 20 students.
Students also expressed strong satisfaction with Wheaton’s support for life after college, saying the institution provides “many great resources for … career building.”
“The greatest strength of our school is the career services department [Life and Career Design Institute], which has a high placement rate for both internships and full-time positions,” one undergraduate told The Princeton Review.
Wheaton integrates career preparation throughout the college experience through the Life and Career Design Institute and guarantees that every student has the opportunity to access up to $3,000 for an unpaid internship.
Beyond academics and career preparation, students praised Wheaton’s “gorgeous” campus and its strong “community” feel. They described their peers as “creative, energetic” and academically engaged, as well as “kind” and “respectful.”
Students also celebrated the range of backgrounds and perspectives represented on campus, describing Wheaton as home to “culturally diverse and open-minded individuals.” One student said the “sense of community runs deep throughout the student body,” adding, “Unity is a trait that shines here.”
The Princeton Review selected the colleges featured in its 2027 guide using institutional data and feedback from students. Its 50 ranking lists are based on surveys of 172,000 students at the 392 featured institutions. The survey asks students about academics and administration, campus life, their fellow students and their overall college experiences.
“The colleges we profile in The Best 392 Colleges vary by type, size, locale and campus culture,” said Rob Franek, the book’s lead author and editor-in-chief at The Princeton Review. “In our opinion, each one offers an academically outstanding undergraduate education.”