The Best 391 Colleges, 2026

By The Princeton Review Robert Franek

Coming 08.12.25

NO ONE KNOWS COLLEGES LIKE THE PRINCETON REVIEW! This comprehensive guide to the nation's best colleges provides in-depth profiles on schools, best-of lists by interest, and tons of helpful student-driven details that will help you or your student choose their best-fit college!

The Princeton Review's college rankings started in 1992 with surveys from 30,000 students. Over 30 years and more than a million student surveys later, we stand by our claim that there is no single “best” college, only the best college for you … and that this is the book that will help you find it!

Straight from Students to You

  • 391 in-depth school profiles based on candid feedback from 160,000+ students, covering academics, administration, campus life, and financial aid
  • Insights on unique college character, social scene, and more
  • Direct quotes from students about their school’s professors, campus culture, career services, and more

Ranking Lists & Rating Scores

  • Lists of the top 25 colleges in 50 categories based on students' opinions of academics, campus life, facilities, and much more 
  • Ratings for every school on Financial Aid, Selectivity, and Quality of Life

Detailed Admissions Info

  • The "Inside Word" on competitive applications, test scores, tuition, and average indebtedness
  • Comprehensive information on selectivity, freshman profiles, and application deadlines at each school

Plus! Free access to 2 full-length practice tests online (1 SAT and 1 ACT) to help you prep for the important admissions-exams part of your admissions journey.

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