University of Lynchburg is one of the nation’s best institutions for undergraduate education, according to The Princeton Review’s 2014 edition, The Best 378 Colleges. Only about 15 percent of the 2,500 four-year colleges in America are selected for this guide.
The College also made a top 20 list, “Everybody Plays Intramual Sports.” More than 70 percent of LC students participate in varsity, intramural, and club sport activities.
The Princeton Review’s rankings are based on its survey of 126,000 students at these colleges. The 80-question survey asks students to rate their schools on several topics and report on their campus experiences.
About academics, LC students say:
This small, “welcoming” school in central Virginia focuses on “preparing students for life’s big challenges” through a supportive environment, small class sizes, and ample academic resources. “Classes are small and generally discussion-based.” … Lynchburg professors “know how to capture our attention, even during the most boring topics.” … According to many satisfied undergraduates, “The ability to create personal relationships with classmates and professors” is one of the school’s greatest strengths. “People really care about you and your future” and the school “provides students with countless resources and tools for success.” Students note the “different learning facilities” available on campus, from peer tutoring and the writing center to “breakout study rooms, computer labs, and the library.” With so much to offer and an undergraduate student body of just 2,000, “University of Lynchburg is a very nurturing place” that “promotes individual personal growth.”
About campus life and facilities, LC students say:
There’s a strong sense of community on the Lynchburg campus. Right off the bat, first-year programming succeeds at “helping freshmen adjust to college life” and “break the ice” with classmates. Most students agree that it’s “really easy to make friends” at Lynchburg, where “students are not afraid to express their individuality, and no one is criticized for who they are.” A current undergrad enthuses, “I enjoy feeling like a part of a family, instead of going through the weeks seeing hundreds or even thousands of new faces.” For many, cheering on the school’s “excellent athletic teams” is a highlight of the experience. In addition, “Greek life plays a huge role” in the school community, and not just through parties. Here, “Greeks on campus are highly involved in service projects,” as are many non-Greek members of the Lynchburg community. On campus, “There is always something going on, from sports, to movies, to game night, to awareness programs.” If you feel like getting off campus, “There are a ton of places to eat and hang out at in the vicinity.”
About the student body, LC students say:
Lynchburg students are “laid-back but studious,” with a shared love of sports. Many undergraduates were “star athletes in high school,” and, because of the school’s top-ranked athletics, “Most of the kids that go here either do varsity or club sports.” The “campus is not that diverse,” principally comprised of “nice, middle- to upper-class kids” from Virginia. However, you don’t have to fit a mold to be accepted at Lynchburg. No matter their background, “Most students fit in quite well,” and “It is not hard to make friends here regardless of sex, age, or anything else.” As one student puts it, “The only way someone cannot fit in here at University of Lynchburg, is if they blockade themselves in their room and refuse to eat, shower, or attend class.” From theater groups to field hockey, “everyone quickly becomes involved with different organizations” on campus.
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