Oakland, CA - Mills College has been named one of the Best 366 Colleges and one of the 123 "Best Western Colleges" in the nation by the Princeton Review. This is the third consecutive year that Mills has been included in these national rankings, a recognition given to only 15 percent of four-year U.S. colleges.

The Best 366 Colleges characterizes Mills as an institution that is "all about the empowerment of women, innovative thought, independence, and activism." The curriculum is described as "rigorous and challenging," and Mills is viewed as a college where undergraduates receive "plenty of support and guidance from the faculty to aid in each student's individual success." Mills faculty members are recognized as experts in their fields and lauded for taking time to give students individualized attention.

According to author Robert Franek, "each school in this book is a ‘best' when it comes to academics....We evaluated them based on institutional data...feedback from students attending them, and our visits to schools over the years." The opinions of independent college counselors and parents were also considered.

Describing some of Mills' specific academic strengths, the guidebook indicates that "students lavish praise on Mills programs in pre-nursing, ethnic studies, and computer sciences and mathematics, as well as the departments of psychology, child development, and English. " Students also spoke highly of the Mills campus environment, likening it to "a park in the middle of the city."

Since 1992, the Princeton Review's annual college rankings have been based almost entirely on surveys of students attending the schools. For the 2008 edition, 120,000 students (approximately 325 per campus) were surveyed during the 2006-07 and/or previous two school years. They were asked 80 questions about their school's academics, administration, campus life, and student body.

Mills College is a nationally renowned, independent liberal arts college offering innovative degree programs for undergraduate women, and graduate degree and certificate programs for women and men. Ranked one of the top colleges in the West by U.S. News & World Report, the New York Times recently selected Mills as one of three outstanding California colleges for students to consider. Nestled in the foothills of Oakland, California, on 135 lush acres, Mills provides a dynamic liberal arts education fostering women's leadership, social responsibility, and creativity.

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