BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Illinois Wesleyan University is one of the nation's best institutions for undergraduates to earn their college degree, according to The Princeton Review’s 2026 college guide, The Best 391 Colleges.
Only about 15% of America's nearly 2,400 four-year institutions are profiled in the annual book based on data collected from administrators about their institutions’ academic offerings. The Princeton Review also considers data it gathers from its surveys of 170,000 college students who rate and report on various aspects of their campus and community experiences for this project.
The Princeton Review does not rank the colleges in the book from 1 to 391. Illinois Wesleyan has been included in this annual unranked listing of Best Colleges every year since the list's inception. IWU also ranks among 151 colleges listed in the Best Midwest category.
“Illinois Wesleyan University is a community that ‘invites you to make the most of your education and is ready to bend over backwards to ensure you enjoy your experience,’” reads the synopsis on IWU’s profile, which features comments from students interviewed by The Princeton Review.
Student statements described Illinois Wesleyan as “an underrated gem that is always trying to give students opportunities that are beyond what most schools can give” with professors who are “brilliant, accessible and insightful individuals who are the best in their field."
Other quotes highlighted IWU’s connected campus culture where “people are very receptive to getting work done together” and that "everyone has friends in other departments and organizations."
Illinois Wesleyan’s no-fee application is now open for the incoming class of 2026 by visiting www.iwu.edu/apply.