Furman Listed in Princeton Review’s Top 50 Green Colleges

Furman University has been listed among the ‘Top 50 Green Colleges’ in the Princeton Review’s Guide to 361 Green Colleges: 2016 Edition.

The education services company known for its test prep and tutoring services, books, and college rankings has made the free 160-page guide available for downloading.

The Princeton Review chose the schools for this seventh annual edition of its “green guide” based on data from the company’s 2015-16 survey of hundreds of four-year colleges regarding the schools’ commitments to the environment and sustainability.

“This national recognition is a real testament to the breadth, depth, and successes of Furman’s sustainability programs and achievements. We are proud and honored to be recognized in Princeton Review’s Top 50 Green Schools for 2016,” said Dr. Weston Dripps, Executive Director of the David E. Shi Center for Sustainability.

Robert Franek, Senior VP-Publisher for The Princeton Review, said, “We strongly recommend Furman University and the other fine colleges in this guide to the many environmentally-minded students who seek to study and live at green colleges.” Franek, who also noted the growing interest he sees among the college-bound in green colleges, said, “Among more than 10,000 teens and parents who participated in our 2016 College Hopes & Worries Survey, 61 percent told us that having information about a school’s commitment to the environment would influence their decision to apply to or attend the college.”

The profiles in the guide 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 aspects like the availability of transportation alternatives at the schools and the percentage of the school food budgets spent on local/organic food.

The Princeton Review chose the colleges based on “Green Rating” scores (from 60 to 99) that the company tallied in summer 2016 for 640 colleges using data from its 2015-16 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 earned a place in the guide.

First published in 2010, the guide remains the only free, annually updated downloadable guide to green colleges.

For further information or to download Princeton Review’s Guide to 361 Green Colleges, go to http://www.princetonreview.com/college-rankings/green-guide. Or contact the Furman University News and Media Relations office at 864-294-3107.