The University of Mary Washington has recently been ranked among the nation’s best colleges by the Princeton Review, Money Magazine and Forbes. UMW has been named to The Princeton Review’s 2015 edition of “The Best 379 Colleges” and has been recognized as a best regional college. The Princeton Review is a New York City-based education services company that annually publishes guidebooks ranking colleges, business and law schools. The annual college guide includes detailed profiles of the colleges with school rating scores in eight categories, including admissions selectivity, academics and quality of life. “University of Mary Washington ‘lives up to its reputation’ while providing ‘rigor­ous education in a fun and engaging atmosphere,’” according to UMW’s profile. “Students rave about the ‘small, beautiful cam­pus’ and ‘strong sense of community.’” Only about 15 percent of America’s 2,500 four-year colleges and four colleges outside the U.S. are profiled in the book. Money Magazine, which just released its first Best Colleges Rankings, also included the University of Mary Washington. UMW is ranked seventh among Virginia public schools and 107th overall among more than 1,500 four-year colleges and universities. Money looks at educational quality, affordability and career outcomes to create its list. Lastly, UMW is included on Forbes’ America’s Top Colleges list. The Forbes’ list ranks 650 colleges and universities and focuses on what students are getting out of their college experience. “This year it comes down to small, student-centric, liberal arts colleges vs. large, brainy, research-oriented universities closely associated with science, technology, engineering and math,” said writer Caroline Howard in a Forbes press release. “The…ranking reveals higher education in flux, ongoing debate between the value of liberal arts vs. STEM degrees and a winning formula of high student satisfaction and graduation rates, alumni career success and low student debt.”