BAR HARBOR, Maine — Maine is home to the nation’s top-ranked LGBTQ-friendly college, according to The Princeton Review, adding another distinction for students and families considering higher education in the state.
College of the Atlantic (COA) in Bar Harbor earned the #1 ranking in The Princeton Review’s “LGBTQ-Friendly” category, putting the small coastal Maine college at the top of the national list.
The recognition is particularly relevant for prospective students and families researching not only academics, but also the campus culture and sense of belonging they can expect when choosing a college.
A Maine College Takes the Top Spot
Located on Mount Desert Island, College of the Atlantic offers a distinctive educational experience in one of Maine’s best-known coastal communities. The college is recognized for its interdisciplinary approach to education, with all students pursuing degrees in human ecology.
The Princeton Review’s LGBTQ-Friendly ranking provides another perspective for students evaluating the campus experience.
Unlike rankings based primarily on admissions statistics, graduation rates or financial measures, The Princeton Review’s campus-life rankings reflect student perspectives about their colleges. That makes the LGBTQ-Friendly category an indicator of how students perceive the environment at their institution.
For College of the Atlantic, reaching the #1 position nationally gives Maine a prominent place in the conversation about LGBTQ-friendly college environments.
What the Ranking Means for Students Considering Maine
Choosing a college frequently means choosing a community as well.
For students relocating to Maine from another state, questions about campus culture can be just as important as academic programs, tuition, housing and career opportunities. Families may also be considering what life will be like beyond the campus itself.
College of the Atlantic’s location provides students with access to Bar Harbor, Mount Desert Island and the surrounding Acadia region. The setting combines a small-town coastal environment with access to Acadia National Park and the outdoor lifestyle for which this part of Maine is known.
For LGBTQ students specifically, the Princeton Review ranking offers prospective students another data point when researching whether a Maine college may be a good fit.
Studying in Maine Can Also Be an Introduction to Living Here
Maine’s colleges and universities play an important role in introducing people from outside the state to life in Maine.
Students who arrive for college experience Maine communities firsthand — from the state’s climate and outdoor recreation to its employment opportunities, housing market and pace of life. For some graduates, those college years can eventually become the foundation for building a career and making Maine home.
College of the Atlantic’s national recognition adds to the range of factors prospective students can consider when deciding whether Maine is the right place to pursue their education.
For newcomers researching where to study and live in Maine, the country’s #1 LGBTQ-Friendly ranking puts a small Bar Harbor college on the national stage — and gives prospective students another reason to take a closer look at higher education in Maine.