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Thomas Aquinas College is one of the nation’s “Best Value” schools according to The Princeton Review and USA Today. It is the only private Catholic college in California to be named a “Best Value,” and one of only five private Catholic institutions in the country, along with Boston College, the College of the Holy Cross, Georgetown University, and the University of Notre Dame.

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Says Robert Franek, Princeton Review’s Senior VP/Publisher and lead author of its newly published book, The Best Value Colleges: 2012 Edition, “We commend Thomas Aquinas College and all of the extraordinary colleges on our 2012 ‘Best Value Colleges’ list for all they are doing to keep costs down and for offering generous aid to applicants with financial need — all while maintaining excellent academic programs.”
   
In their profile the editors at The Princeton Review praise the College, saying, “The broad education found here brings together students who are heading out into all walks of life and church, so you won’t see piles of students jockeying for the same internships come spring; every student emerges with the same degree and same quality of education.” The profile also lauds the school for its campus life: “The student morale is indeed great….The close-knittedness of the community here is palpable. The students spend a great deal of time together in class, on weekends, in the single-sex residence, at three daily meals, and in Mass. Hiking in the nearby national forest, intramural sports, choir, and a variety of extracurricular activities further the bonds.”

The profile includes remarks from Thomas Aquinas College students surveyed by the Princeton Review. One respondent said, “There is a positive and peaceful atmosphere [here] that comes with knowing you are seeking the truth in the best way possible.” Another student explained that the four-year, co-educational institution is “unapologetically Catholic” and “takes learning seriously for its own sake, not just as preparation for a job.”

The Princeton Review selected its “Best Value Colleges” schools based on institutional data and student opinion surveys collected from the 650 colleges and universities that the company regards as the nation’s academically best undergraduate institutions. The selection process analyzed more than 30 data points broadly covering academics, cost, and financial aid.