URI ranks low in study time and quality of professors, while Brown makes the grade for happy students.

09:37 AM EDT on Tuesday, August 23, 2005

BY CATHLEEN F. CROWLEY
Journal Staff Writer

PROVIDENCE -- Several Rhode Island colleges moved up in rankings released yesterday by the Princeton Review, but these are not categories that make school administrators proud.

Providence College ranked 2nd in the nation for the most beer consumed, up from 20th last year. The University of Rhode Island ranked 11th for the least amount of studying and URI professors rated 15th worst in the nation, based on student opinion.

Despite the students' assessments, the colleges can take comfort in the fact that The Princeton Review only surveys schools considered among the academic best, about 15 percent of colleges. The rankings were published in The Princeton Review's "The Best 361 Colleges," which goes on sale today.

The rankings in the 62 categories are based on student surveys. An average of 300 students from each school responded to the questionnaire, according to The Princeton Review.

The survey collects information about academic and campus life, including the distinction of the best party school. The University of Wisconsin-Madison was named the number one party school, and the only New England schools to make the list were the University of Massachusetts, Amherst (9th), and the University of New Hampshire (17th).

For the 10th year in a row, URI was not named a party school. The university barred alcohol from all social and athletic events in 1995 after The Princeton Review ranked URI the top party school three years in a row.

URI officials could not be reached yesterday for comment about students' perception about professors, but student comments in Princeton Review's profile of the school spoke more favorably of their instructors.

URI students said professors go out of their way to help students and are experienced in the fields they are teaching, according to the profile.

"There are some amazing professors that really get you thinking, but others are not so passionate," one student said.

Brown University scored high in the eyes of its students. Brown ranked 3rd, up from 14th, for the happiest students. The university's radio stations -- Brown has two -- rated 9th for popularity. The school was among the top 10 hardest to get into.

Providence College spokesman Edward J. Caron said the school had not received the information on Princeton Review's latest rankings. He was skeptical of the organization's methodology. In the past, he said, the publication has carried over quotes and comments from students in consecutive editions of the annual survey.

Suzanne J. Podhurst, an editor from the Princeton Review, said students submit online surveys all year long, and schools are formally surveyed every three years. The four Rhode Island colleges that appear in the book were all surveyed during the last school year, Podhurst said. However, she did not know how many students responded from PC or other Rhode Island schools.

"If you know anything about the schools, you will think that they are properly ranked," Podhurst said.

Caron said Providence College has adopted programs to prevent alcohol abuse, including an alcohol education class for students who violate the alcohol policy.

PC students also noted a lack of diversity at the school. Princeton Review ranked PC 12th for low acceptance of homosexuality and 4th for homogeneous student population.

Bryant University did not make any of the top 20 lists, but the book profiles the school. Students told Princeton interviewers that the school is serious about business: "Bryant University offers some majors outside of business and management, but students tell us that pursuing one of those majors would be like ordering a dinner salad at a steakhouse."

Salve Regina University did not make the "Best 361 Schools" but The Princeton Review profiled the school in its 2006 edition of "The Best Northeastern Colleges," which will also be released today.

Staff writer Cathleen F. Crowley can be reached at ccrowley [at] projo.com or (401) 277-7376.