HWS News
15 August 2025 Why Students Love HWS: Top National Rankings Roll In
Princeton Review ranks Hobart and William Smith among the happiest, friendliest and most student-loved colleges in the nation.
Students at Hobart and William Smith say they value their classes and professors, HWS’ close-knit community and its location in Geneva, N.Y. on the shore of Seneca Lake. They cite the kindness of their peers and abundant opportunities for leadership, connection and involvement.
Those experiences are reflected in The Princeton Review’s Best 391 Colleges: 2026 Edition, which draws on more than 179,000 student surveys from nearly 400 institutions nationwide. HWS ranked #4 for “Their Students Love These Colleges,” #9 for “Happiest Students” and #16 for “Friendliest Students,” earning top-20 placements in nine categories overall.
Smiles of HWS
Students praised HWS for making leadership accessible. “You are able to be a leader in the classroom and on the athletic field,” one student shared. Others described afternoons spent at the boathouse, swimming or relaxing with friends, and the joy of reconnecting with peers after studying abroad.
The scenic environment inspires meaningful community engagement that brings students closer to each other and the area around them. In their survey responses, students pointed to the HWS Tutor Corps, which hires and trains more than 80 paid tutors each semester, allowing HWS students to work with local youth from three to five hours each week. Students also celebrated campus arts and athletics, from the Kinetetic Dance Collective and String Ensemble, to varsity, club and recreational sports that welcome athletes at every level.
The Wall Street Journal also recently ranked HWS #4 out of 500 U.S. institutions for student experience in its 2025 list of best colleges. The category looked at student surveys about campus facilities, community and social life.
