Ashland University was recently listed as one of the best colleges in the Midwest by the Princeton Review and most affordable for online education by Great Value Colleges.

“The Princeton Review is well respected, so to be in it gives us prestige,” Dr. Carlos Campo, president of Ashland University, said.

The Princeton Review is a resource that lets students view tutoring, college admission and test prep materials. A part of these materials is having lists such as Best in the Midwest for prospective students to view.

This list includes 158 colleges and universities across the Midwest region of the United States and grades them on various aspects in academics as well as campus life.

However, this list not only makes light of AU as one of the schools qualified in these various criteria so that prospective students can get an idea of campus. Current members of Eagle Nation are seeing these aspects as well.

“I think one of the best things about AU is that students have a very close relationship with their professors,” Rhyan Opel, a sophomore majoring in Political Science and History said. “A lot of schools have small class sizes, but I just think the character of Ashland professors and students is one that fosters closer relationships.”

Opel not only attends Ashland University for her own academic career, but helps potential students see what AU has to offer through her position as a campus tour guide.

“I’m able to show students not only what the campus looks like and what the campus can provide, but also an insight into what it is like to be a student,” Opel said.

While academics play a role in choosing which college to attend, students also take a look at the environment of the campus and what else there is to participate in during their time in school.

Ashland University combines a vast academic offering with a great environment, Campo said.

A great campus environment is often an aspect that plays an important role in a student’s decision of which college to attend.

“On other campuses, when you meet with students and faculty, you didn’t feel like they were as excited about what they were doing,” Opel said. “But when I came here, it was just very apparent that everyone that was here just really wanted to be here.”

This experience is something that Opel shares with her tour groups as she ends her tours with the reason why she chose Ashland University.

“I think at the end of the day, you want to be in an environment where everyone is excited about what they are doing. If they’re not excited, then it is not going to make you excited. Being in that sort of environment allows you to grow as an individual,” she said.

The recent ranking not only allows current students to reflect on what they find to be the greatest aspects of the university, but it also can help potential students to see what the university does best.

“[It] affirms that what we do is effective and helps student commitment,” Campo said.

Students who are thinking of continuing their academic career at AU can now see this ranking at https://www.princetonreview.com/college-rankings?rankings=best-midwestern and utilize it as a part of making their decision as well as coming to campus and touring.

“If you are someone that has thought about Ashland at all, come to campus,” Opel said. “Particularly for Ashland, at least for me, it was one that I did not think about as much before I was here and realized what the environment felt like.”