Princeton Review Survey Ranks DePaul University Students Happiest in Country

Friendly students, good classes, caring administrators, accessible professors and an exciting campus are just a few of the ingredients that make DePaul University students the happiest in the country, according to a survey of 59,000 college students conducted by the Princeton Review, a New York-based educational services company.

The rankings were derived from a random sample of students at 331 colleges across the country who rated their own institutions in such areas as academics, campus life, politics, student satisfaction and diversity. The results appear in the "Princeton Review Guide: The Best 331 Colleges," published this month by Random House.

"This recognition speaks volumes about the dedicated faculty and staff at DePaul and their willingness to go the extra mile to make sure our students have the best possible academic experience," said the Rev. John P. Minogue, C.M., DePaul president. "It also shows that DePaul is attracting students who enjoy learning and who are genuinely kind and compassionate to their classmates."

DePaul also was ranked in the following areas:

• 2^nd in student diversity. Of the 18,565 students enrolled at DePaul in the fall of 1998 there were 1,948 African Americans, 1,535 Asian Americans and 1,631 Hispanics.

• 2^nd in "great college town."

• 7^th in interaction between students of different races and classes.
• 8^th in professor accessibility.
• 8^th in good "town-gown relations," students get along well with members of the local community.

• 15^th in gay community acceptance.
• 19^th in providing a smooth administrative process.

DePaul is the largest Catholic university in the United States with six campuses and more than 130 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. The Lincoln Park and Loop campuses are located in the heart of Chicago and offer students a friendly and warm academic environment nestled in an exciting urban backdrop. DePaul has earned a reputation for innovative courses and personalized instruction.

In addition to enthusiasm about DePaul’s nationally recognized men’s basketball and women’s softball teams, students at DePaul also can find pleasure in the recent construction of a $13 million state-of-the-art recreation facility, a student quad and a new science center. Plans are currently in the works for a new athletic training facility for DePaul’s 16 sports teams, a student center and two new residence halls that should help keep DePaul students happy and well served for years to come.

"We are constantly working to make the academic experience here at DePaul one that is rewarding and fun for students," said Peggy Clark, director of Student Life. "This distinction is especially honorable because it reflects the sentiments of our students."

This year U.S. News & World Report named DePaul’s part-time master’s of business administration program fifth in the country, Success Magazine ranked its entrepreneurship program second in the nation and Black Enterprise named DePaul one of the top five regional universities in the nation for African Americans.