St. Mary’s College of Maryland, the state’s public honors college, is one of the nation's best institutions for undergraduate education, according to The Princeton Review. The education services company features St. Mary’s College in the new 2019 edition of its flagship college guide, "The Best 384 Colleges.”
Only about 15 percent of America’s 2,500 four-year colleges and two colleges outside the U.S. are profiled in the book, which is one of The Princeton Review’s most popular guides. Published annually since 1992, it has detailed profiles of the colleges with ratings scored in eight categories. St. Mary’s College is also included in the Best Northeastern, Best Green Colleges and Top 50 Green Colleges lists.
In its profile on the college, The Princeton Review quotes extensively from St. Mary’s College students surveyed for the book. Speaking on the college’s classroom environment, students enjoy classes that are always “challenging but never impossible” taught by professors who “get to know you personally” and “take an interest in your future.” Students find that “many professors are extremely good at making classes interesting and at engaging students” through “discussion based” approaches. While SMCM “professors are demanding” and “expect a great deal from students,” “they are always willing to help.”
The scenic location of the campus is highlighted in the guide: “Whether they are admiring ‘the beauty of the St. Mary’s River’ from a kayak, ‘tanning on the docks,’ ‘taking walks in the woods,’ or keeping warm next to a bonfire, outdoor activities are popular and ‘only a short walk from the campus center.’”
Regarding the student body, a St. Mary’s College student says, “I am so happy that I am able to walk about this campus knowing that every person I walk past could be a conversation away from being a friend of mine.”
St. Mary’s College also was recognized recently as a 2018-19 College of Distinction, acknowledged in the 2019 edition of the Fiske Guide to Colleges, and ranked among the Best Colleges of Maryland by schools.com.