Brooklyn College Named One of the Nation's Best

2009 Princeton Review Guide Lauds Brooklyn College for Academics and Diversity

Brooklyn College is one of the nation’s best institutions for undergraduate education, according to a survey released by the Princeton Review earlier this week.

According to the report, which is based on a survey of 120,000 students attending 368 colleges, "Brooklyn College, the poor people’s Harvard, provides a great education for an unbelievable cost."  The review also singles out the College for its small class sizes, dedicated and knowledgeable professors, state-of-the-art computer facilities, and great library.

"For eight decades, Brooklyn College has opened academic opportunity and a path to success for generations of New Yorkers," said Brooklyn College President Christoph M. Kimmich. "Today our student body is as diverse as that of any institution of higher education. Our students and alumni enjoy a reputation for being serious, motivated, and ambitious – and successful at the highest levels in the arts and sciences, business and the law. While being called the 'Poor Man's Harvard' may be flattering, Brooklyn College is very proud to be Brooklyn College."

For its one-of-a-kind campus culture, the Princeton Review also recognized the College as one of the country’s most diverse campuses. Ranking third in diversity among the 368 schools surveyed, Brooklyn College is home to students from more than 140 different countries who speak more than 88 different languages.  It offers an unmatched opportunity to interact with people from around the world – introducing students to new perspectives and turning ordinary classroom discussions into worldly debates.

Mary Penissi, Class of 2008 valedictorian, said, "When I came here four years ago, Brooklyn College was ranked as the most beautiful campus in America. However, over the past four years, I realized that the true beauty of Brooklyn College actually exists within its students and the unique synergy produced by their diversity. Attending Brooklyn College was therefore more than just an educational experience. It made us citizens of the world and prepared us to confront international challenges. It taught us how to love one another and celebrate our differences together."

Brooklyn College student and Gilman Scholar Jillian Justh added, "Brooklyn College allows you to be tolerant and open to learning about, and understanding people from, all walks of life - whether the difference be of race, nationality, culture, religion, sexual identity, or class."

Brooklyn College is an innovative liberal arts institution with a history of academic excellence in both undergraduate and graduate studies. Since its founding in 1930, the College has offered men and women – many of them immigrants or the children of immigrants and often the first in their families to go to college – a high-quality, affordable education that allows them to build a richer life and a productive career.

The Princeton Review, published by Random House, is a New York-based education services company also known for its test-prep courses.  The Princeton Review is not affiliated with Princeton University and is not a magazine.