Seton Hill University is one of the best colleges in the Northeast according to The Princeton Review. The only Westmoreland County, Pa. university to achieve this designation, Seton Hill University is recommended by The Princeton Review in its recent publication, “The Best Northeastern Colleges: 2012 edition.”

“We’re pleased to recommend Seton Hill University,” said Robert Franek, The Princeton Review senior vice president/publisher. “We chose it…as ‘regional best’ mainly for its excellent academic programs. From several hundred schools in each region, we winnowed our list based on institutional data we collected from the schools, our visits to schools over the years and the opinions of our staff, plus college counselors and advisors whose recommendations we invite. We also take into account what the students at the schools reported to us about their campus experience…”

For this project, The Princeton Review asks current students to rate their own school on several issues, from accessibility of their professors to the quality of campus life. Colleges and universities were rated on a scale of 60-99.

Regarding the Academics category, student comments to The Princeton Review included, “A typical student at Seton Hill is active and social and very focused on school work” and “Faculty and staff genuinely care about the well-being and success of each and every student.” The majority of the faculty members at Seton Hill “take the time to know their students and become involved in their learning.” A student noted that “if you are struggling, the campus is small enough to offer individualized attention and professors offer a lot of out-of-class office hours.”

The Princeton Review notes that students choose Seton Hill University for a quality liberal arts education delivered in the context of a small and “supportive environment.” Student comments suggest that volunteerism, personal growth and community involvement complement the academic experience. One student said that Seton Hill “empowers students with a liberal arts education and a foundation in Catholic Social Teaching to make meaningful contributions as productive members of society.” On that note, students say that, “Seton Hill really lets students become themselves. We have classes to help us deal with real life situations and clubs to express ourselves.”

The 220 colleges The Princeton Review chose for its “Best Northeastern Colleges” book and website list are located in 11 states, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont and the District of Columbia. The Princeton Review also designated 153 colleges in the Midwest, 121 in the West and 135 in the Southeast as the best in their locales on the company’s “2012 Best Colleges: Region by Region” lists. Collectively, the 629 colleges named “regional bests” constitute 25 percent of the nation’s 2,500 four-year colleges.

The Princeton Review, headquartered in Framingham, Mass., with editorial offices in New York, N.Y., has been a pioneer and leader in helping students achieve their higher education goals for more than 28 years through college and graduate school test preparation and tutoring. With more than 165 print and digital publications and a free website, the company provides students and their parents with the resources to research, apply to, prepare for, and learn how to pay for higher education. The Princeton Review also partners with schools and guidance counselors throughout the U.S. to assist in college readiness, test preparation and career planning services, helping more students pursue postsecondary education. The company also owns and operates Penn Foster Education Group, a global leader in online education. Penn Foster provides career-focused degree and vocational programs in the fields of allied health, business, technology, education, and select trades through the Penn Foster High School and Penn Foster Career School , which are headquartered in Scranton, Pa.