Elon earns accolades for experiential learning in 2022 Fiske Guide

The new edition of the popular college guide highlights Elon's commitment to engaged learning and its strong community.

The 2022 Fiske Guide to Colleges highlights Elon’s growing reputation as a national university with a focus on experiential learning.

The Fiske Guide, in its 38th 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.

The Fiske Guide includes comments from current students to help illustrate the strengths of the schools included in the exclusive publication.

“Elon encourages students to not only ask questions but also find complicated and nuanced answers,” explains one strategic communications major in responding to the Fiske survey.

“Elon’s best asset is honestly its commitment to engaged learning,” said one student. “Elon is not just a place,” said a senior, “it’s an experience and a community.”

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 a journalism major.

Also mentioned in the 2022 guide are Elon traditions like College Coffee and the Festival of Lights, as well the seven Fellows programs, living-learning communities, first-year experiences, and the small classes and personal attention from faculty members.

“My professors have supported my goals and endeavors and connected me with resources to help me succeed both as a student and as a young professional,” said an English major.

Edward B. Fiske, the founder and editor of the Fiske Guide to Colleges, is a former Education Editor of the New York Times who is known for his writing on topics ranging from trends in American higher education to primary school reform in Southeast Asia, New Zealand and South Africa. Fiske established the guide in 1982 when, covering higher education for the Times, he sensed the need for a publication that would help students and parents navigate the increasingly complex college admissions scene.