2021 Fiske Guide to Colleges highlights Elon’s focus on experiential learning

The annual college guide features more than 300 of the nation's "best and most interesting" universities.

The 2021 Fiske Guide to Colleges has featured Elon in its newest edition, showcasing the university’s Martha and Spencer Love School of Business, School of Communications, Department of Performing Arts and other facets of the Elon experience.

The Fiske Guide, in its 37th year, highlights more than 300 of the nation’s “best and most interesting universities, offering prospective students and their families exclusive academic, social and quality-of-life ratings for each school. Edited by Edward B. Fiske, former education editor for The New York Times, the guide is based on academic ratings, price category, quality of student life on campus and other factors.

In this year’s guide, Elon is categorized among:

  • Large Private Universities Strong in Business
  • Private Colleges and Universities Strong in Communications/Journalism
  • Large Universities Strong in Film/Television
  • Large Universities Strong in Drama

The Fiske Guide recognizes Elon as “one of the leading liberal arts colleges in the southeast with a growing reputation nationally, especially for its business and communications schools.” It also highlights the university’s “welcoming environment and nurturing faculty.”

The Fiske Guide profile focuses on Elon’s commitment to experiential learning opportunities through the Elon Experiences – undergraduate research, internships, service learning, study abroad and leadership. It also discusses the Experiential Learning Requirement (ELR) that each student must fulfill by completing at least two of the five Elon Experiences.

“I’ve found the critical thinking and reflection that comes from ELRs to be extremely beneficial for discussing my experiences and strengths in job interviews,” said one student surveyed for the publication.

Also mentioned in the 2021 guide are Elon traditions like College Coffee and the Festival of Lights, as well as the university’s commitment to community service, its seven Fellows programs, living-learning communities, first-year experiences, and more.

“Elon is not just a place,” said a senior quoted in the Guide, “it’s an experience and a community.”