BIDDEFORD — The University of New England has been included in the 2016 edition of the Princeton Review’s Best 380 Colleges guide.

This highly selective list includes only the top 15 percent of four-year colleges and universities in the U.S., according to a press release from the university.

“It’s an honor to be recognized by the Princeton Review in its list of best colleges,” UNE President Danielle Ripich is quoted saying in the release. “Our faculty, students and staff are dedicated to making the world a better place through our programs in medicine, the health professions and the liberal arts. We are also committed to being good global citizens. We have our own campus in Tangier, Morocco, and we provide numerous opportunities to study around the globe. Our students’ backyard is the world.”

UNE was selected based on its high-quality academic offerings, optimal locations in Maine and Morocco, and competitive cost and size, the release states. The university’s profile in the guide details UNE’s admission requirements and academic offerings, while providing other information about the university.

The “Students Say” section of UNE’s profile quotes students from different majors applauding UNE’s academic rigor and friendliness. It describes the University of New England as attracting “hard working” and “driven” students, “many of whom seem to have an eye towards pursuing graduate school.” UNE students are not only “studious,” but they are also “friendly,” ready “to lend a hand,” the section states.

This latest accolade for UNE comes on the heels of the Brookings Institution ranking UNE first among Maine colleges and universities in ability to increase students’ career earnings, and college-matching platform College Raptor Inc. selecting UNE as Maine’s “Hidden Gem” in a listing of colleges and universities sometimes overlooked by students that stand out in terms of academic rigor and student success. U.S. News and World Report’s 2015 “America’s Best Colleges” listing also includes UNE among the “Best Universities” in the North offering undergraduate and master’s programs.

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