Princeton Review Names Ithaca College Among Nation’s Best

By Dave Maley, September 6, 2024

IC earns top-25 rankings for theatre, radio, newspaper, and conservation caring.

Performers on stage for a theatrical production

Ithaca College Theatre production of the musical "Company."

(photo by Sheryl D. Sinkow)

Ithaca College has once again been named among the top higher education institutions in the country, with its inclusion in the 2025 edition of Princeton Review’s The Best 390 Colleges.

The education services company also lists IC in the top 25 in the nation in five individual categories:

#6 Best College Newspaper
#11 Best College Theater
#14 Best College Radio Station
#22 Green Matters: Everyone Cares About Conservation
#22 Most Liberal Students

Only about 15% of America’s 2,600 four-year colleges are profiled in the book. The Princeton Review choses the colleges for the guide based on data it annually collects from surveys of 2,000 college administrators about their institutions’ academic offerings, along with data from its surveys of college students attending the schools who report on their experiences at their institutions.

"We salute Ithaca College for its outstanding academics, and many other impressive offerings,” said Rob Franek, Princeton Review's editor in chief. “We recommend it as an ideal choice for students searching for their ‘best-fit’ college.”

Students put together an issue of "The Ithacan." (photo by Allison Usavage '11)

IC’s student-run newspaper, The Ithacan, and radio stations, 92-WICB and VIC Radio, are based in the Roy H. Park School of Communications. They routinely win regional and national awards for their comprehensive news and sports coverage.

“The esteem in which our student-run media outlets is held is no surprise, given the distinctive teaching and learning environment in the Park School,” said dean Amy Falkner. “Our ‘Day one, you’re on’ philosophy provides ample opportunity for our students to develop their talents while being mentored by full-time professional advisors with deep expertise in their fields.”

Three people in a broadcast booth at a stadium.

WICB broadcasters at the 2022 Cortaca Jug Football game at Yankee Stadium. (photo by Lori Kramerson)

Within the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance, the Center for Theatre and Dance annually presents a number of main-stage productions as part of a vibrant campus and local community theatre scene.

“Our program has had a long tradition of guiding students as they develop their skills in the creation, performance, management, and interpretation of theatre,” said Steve TenEyck, professor of theatre arts and co-interim dean of the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance. “We are poised not only to envision and create theatre in both traditional and unexpected venues, but to prepare our students to conceive whatever form theatre may assume in the years to come.”

Ithaca College holds a STARS (Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System) gold rating from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.

IC continually endeavors to integrate sustainability into its academic offerings and operations. The college is committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 and has been named one of America’s top colleges for renewable energy by the Environment America Research & Policy Center.

“Our campus community strives to spark diverse environmental and conservation action, with sustainability issues influencing not only our teaching and learning but all aspects of life on campus,” said Scott Doyle ’98, director of energy management and sustainability.

Students surveyed for the guide praised Ithaca College for having small class sizes that afford plenty of personal attention, along with creating opportunities for students to pursue interests that are not necessarily a part of their chosen course of study. They said that faculty members are passionate and engaging, and understand how to present the material so that it is relevant and meaningful.

For more information, visit princetonreview.com/college-rankings/best-colleges.