COLUMBUS, OH — Capital University has been named one of the nation's academically best undergraduate institutions, according to the education services company The Princeton Review.
The company profiled Capital in the latest edition of its annual college guide, “The Best 392 Colleges.” Thecolleges selected for the book were based on 2025-26 surveys of 2,000 college administrators about their school's academic offerings, as well as surveys of students attending those colleges who rated their schools on dozens of topics and reported on their campus experiences.
Approximately 14 percent of America’s nearly 2,800 four-year colleges are included in this edition.
“This recognition belongs to our entire university community,” said Capital President Jared R. Tice, Ed.D. “For nearly 200 years, Capital has transformed lives through education grounded in relationships, opportunity, and purpose. This national recognition affirms what our students experience every day: a community where they are known, supported, challenged, and prepared to make an impact.”
In The Princeton Review profile on Capital, the company praises the school for its personal attention, supportive professors, experiential learning, and Central Ohio location. Quotes from Capital students surveyed for the project included:
The school does “a brilliant job at focusing on the student as an individual.”
Its Columbus location provides a “small school setting, while also getting access to big city amenities and opportunities.”
Experiential learning is a key component of the curriculum, and there are “lots of opportunities for field work and observation/hands-on learning early on in programs in order to give students lots of experience.”
Professors are “very good at making you feel like you matter in the classroom” and “want to see you succeed in whatever endeavors you choose.” They “are determined to give [a] good education to the students and show up outside of the classroom consistently.”
“There are many opportunities for individuals to take on leadership opportunities and network with professors and their connections.”
“Capital really [encourages] students to strive for excellence.”
In addition to thanking Capital students for sharing their experiences, President Tice thanked faculty and staff for living Capital’s mission every day.
“The qualities our students highlighted – personal attention, meaningful mentorship, hands-on learning, leadership opportunities, and preparation for what comes next – all happen because of our faculty and staff,” Tice said.
Rob Franek, The Princeton Review's editor-in-chief, said, "We are delighted to name Capital University one of our ‘Best Colleges for 2027’ and we recommend it to students searching for their best-fit college. Capital has outstanding academic programs. We also considered the candid feedback we received from its very own customers – its enrolled students.”
“The Best 392 Colleges” has 50 categories of ranking lists. Each list names the top 25 schools (of those in the book) in a particular category. The rankings are entirely based on company's surveys of students attending the schools in the book who reported on their campus experiences at their schools. Surveys of 172,000 students (an average of 439 per school) were tallied for the rankings in this year’s edition.
About Capital University
Capital University transforms lives by empowering an inclusive community of learners through engaging academic, co-curricular, and professional experiences. Located in the state capital of Columbus, Capital is the oldest university in Central Ohio. With a focus on liberal arts education and student success, the University is a vibrant and innovative leader in higher education whose inclusive community supports access and ensures success for all.