Hobart and William Smith Colleges

21 August 2009 HWS among Best Colleges: Study Abroad 18th

Hobart and William Smith Colleges have once again been recognized by The Princeton Review as among the best in the country with its study abroad program ranking 18^th in the nation. The rankings are included in this years book, The Best 371 Colleges, (Random House/Princeton Review).

Our study abroad program consists of a remarkably diverse set of opportunities, and is distinguished by unique pre-departure and post-return programs that transform the experience into a life-changing event, says Teresa L. Amott, provost and dean of the faculty of Hobart and William Smith Colleges. We appreciate that the academic rigor of our abroad program, as well as the caliber of academics at HWS as a whole, were recognized in this survey.

The Colleges offer study abroad programs on every continent except Antarctica and provide students with academically and personally challenging experiences that foster an in-depth understanding of another culture, with the goal of encouraging students to embrace the concept of global citizenship. In addition to coursework completed in collaboration with an on-site college or university, students participating in HWS study abroad programs complete internships, independent studies and community service projects over the course of the semester.

Professors tell us that students who return from abroad tend to have sharpened their academic goals and have a more developed sense of their career aspirations, explains Thomas DAgostino, director of the Center for Global Education at HWS. Students GPAs also tend to improve after a study abroad experience.

Only about 15 percent of Americas 2,500 four-year colleges and two Canadian colleges are profiled in the book, which is The Princeton Reviews flagship annual college guide. It includes detailed profiles of the colleges with school rating scores in eight categories, plus ranking lists of top 20 schools in 62 categories based on The Princeton Reviews surveys of students attending the colleges.

We commend Hobart and William Smith Colleges for their outstanding academics, which is the primary criteria for our choice of schools for the book, says Robert Franek, Princeton Reviews V.P., Publishing, and author of The Best 371 Colleges.

In recent years, Hobart and William Smith Colleges have been listed in The Princeton Reviews Colleges with a Conscience: An Engaged Students Guide to College, which ranked HWS as one of best institutions for service learning and civic engagement. The Colleges curriculum and its outcomes have also been recognized by Washington Monthly which named HWS one of the best liberal arts colleges in the country.