by Shane Henson — April 20, 2012—Colleges and universities across the country know that potential students consider many factors when deciding where they will pursue higher education, and increasingly, how “green” a school is counts, too.
With this mind, The Princeton Review, in collaboration with the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), released the third annual edition of its unique, free guidebook saluting the nation’s most environmentally responsible “green colleges.”
The Princeton Review’s Guide to 322 Green Colleges: 2012 Edition profiles 322 institutions of higher education in the United States and Canada that demonstrate notable commitments to sustainability in their academic offerings, campus infrastructure, activities and career preparation. The 232-page book is reportedly the only free, comprehensive, annually updated guide to green colleges and was developed with generous support from United Technologies Corp, founding sponsor of the Center for Green Schools.
College applicants using the guide will find in it:
- School profiles with application, admission, financial aid and student enrollment information;
- “Green Highlights” write-ups detailing each school’s most impressive environmental and sustainability initiatives;
- “Green Facts” sidebars reporting statistics and facts on everything from the school’s use of renewable energy sources, recycling and conservation programs to the availability of environmental studies programs, and green jobs career guidance;
- A glossary of 40+ green terms and acronyms from AASHE to “zero waste;” and
- Lists identifying schools in the book with various green distinctions—among them: those with LEED-certified buildings and those that are signatories of the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment.
- “Green Highlights” write-ups detailing each school’s most impressive environmental and sustainability initiatives;
The guidebook also has an introductory section discussing sustainability issues and advice on living green on campus.
The Princeton Review says it chose the 322 schools based on a survey it conducted in 2011 of hundreds of colleges across the United States and in Canada to tally its annual “Green Rating” scores (scaled from 60 to 99) of colleges for its school profiles in its college guidebooks and website. The survey asks administrators more than 50 questions about their institution’s sustainability-related policies, practices and programs. The company then tallied Green Ratings for 768 institutions in summer 2011. The 322 schools in this guide received scores of 83 or above in that assessment.
The complete list is available on the Princeton Review Web site, in alphabetical order or by state.
