Best College for Environmental Science

ESF One of Princeton Review's "Colleges That Pay You Back"

ESF is one of the nation's best colleges for students seeking a superb education with great career preparation at an affordable price, according to The Princeton Review’s "Colleges That Pay You Back: 2016 Edition.”

The colleges listed were chosen based on return-on-investment ratings the Princeton Review tallied for 650 schools in 2015. The ratings considered academics, cost and financial aid, graduation rates, student debt, and alumni salaries and job satisfaction.

The Princeton Review recommends ESF for its outstanding academics and its affordability based on the college’s comparatively low sticker price and generous financial aid to students.

Editors praise the college for being “highly specialized and selective” and for “its unique partnership with Syracuse University that gives ESF students special access to Syracuse classes, academic facilities, student clubs and organizations and other services while paying low state-supported tuition.”

The book notes: “SUNY’s in-state and out-of-state tuition rates are among the lowest in the Northeast for public colleges.”

The Princeton Review also points out that the “college awards approximately half of its total institutional scholarships based on academic merit, with the other half based on financial need. The magazine highlights students in ESF’s bioprocess engineering and paper engineering programs, who are required to complete a summer internship in a related industry, and encouraged to complete a semester-long paid internship. More than 95 percent of students in these programs are placed in a related job or graduate study within nine months of graduation.”

ESF is also ranked #33 on the Princeton Review’s list of “Top 50 Green Colleges, ” made the Princeton Review list for “Best College Dorms, ” and was ranked #380 among all colleges nationally.Â

ESF has earned a spot on the Princeton Review's "Top 50 Green Colleges"

ESF, one of only two SUNY schools to make the list, was ranked No. 33 in the recently released list. The college is lauded for its specialized study options within its various environmentally focused majors.

The Top 50 is a new addition to the Princeton Review's Guide to 353 Green Colleges, which is issued annually. The other SUNY institution to make the list is Stony Brook University.

"SUNY-ESF is the only school in the nation where all of its academic programs are oriented toward natural resources and the natural and designed environments, " the book states. "With sustainability at the core of the university's mission, SUNY-ESF has been at the forefront of nationally-recognized, government-supported research in green issues. SUNY-ESF's career center is dedicated to placing students in internships and careers in the science, design, policy, and management of the environment and natural resources."

The Princeton Review chose the colleges based on "Green Rating" scores (from 60 to 99) that the company tallied in summer 2014 for 861 colleges using data from its 2013-14 survey of school administrators. Schools reported on their sustainability-related policies, practices, and programs. Schools with Green Rating scores of 83 or higher made it into this guide.

ESF Named to The Princeton Review's 'Best 379 Colleges'

ESF is one of the nation's best colleges for undergraduate education, and gets a top 20 ranking for residence hall quality, according to The Princeton Review. The education services company features ESF in the new 2015 edition of its annual college guide, "The Best 379 Colleges" (Random House/Princeton Review).

Responses from a survey of current students are an important factor in these annual rankings, and The Princeton Review quoted ESF students as saying the college "is a great school for those interested in research and theory" and that students are "out in the field learning how to do what they want to do in life." Said one transfer student: "ESF is definitely the best 'bang for your buck.' I attended a private university prior to ESF, and I have paid for four years here for what one year costs there. And the courses are just as well taught."

Another student noted: "Attending ESF means being surrounded by people who are passionate about the earth and science in general, while all having unique perspectives and interests to share."

ESF was also recognized with a top 20 Princeton Review ranking for "Best College Dorms." The top 20 residence hall award is not surprising to ESF students living in the college's LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold-Certified Centennial Hall. The building features large suites with private bathrooms and Stickley furniture that was custom-designed and built with sustainable hardwood. Most importantly at ESF, the building incorporates a host of environmentally friendly features.

Forbes Ranks ESF 20th Nationwide for Best Value Colleges

Forbes has published a new set of college rankings on its Forbes.com website, placing ESF at number 20 in its listing of "Best Value Colleges 2014.”

Forbes said the “best value” schools are “top colleges and universities that deliver the good without picking your pocket.” ESF is the only SUNY institution on the list.

Forbes took the school’s Quality Score (calculated for Forbes’ annual rankings) divided by the school’s in-state tuition and fees to identify the 25 “best value” colleges in the nation.

ESF also ranked among the top 250 colleges in the nation in Forbes overall college rankings, which included both public and private institutions.

Forbes.com Ranks ESF #3 for Women in STEM Fields!

Forbes.com has also ranked SUNY-ESF at #3 on its 2010 (most recent) list of the 20 best colleges for women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). According to Forbes, "these are the schools that are getting it right" by helping significant numbers of women graduate with college degrees in these important and higher-salaried career areas. ESF is one of only two state-funded public colleges on this list, which includes Cal Tech, MIT, and several other schools known for excellence in research and teaching.

Washington Monthly: ESF among Top National Universities, Provides ‘Best Bang for the Buck’

The 2015 Washington Monthly College Guide has ranked ESF number 54 among top ranked National Universities for its "contribution to the public good" with the College making a significant move up the rankings ladder from it position at number 95 last year. ESF also is ranked number 87 among Northeast Universities in the 2015 guide's "Best Bang for the Buck" value rankings.