For the fifth consecutive year, UNCW is one of the best colleges in the Southeast, according to the Princeton Review.

The education services company selected UNCW as one of 139 institutions it recommends in the "Best of the Southeast" section on its Web site feature 2009 Best Colleges: Region by Region.

In the profile on UNC Wilmington available at www.PrincetonReview.com, the following comments from student surveys are posted:

"With its warm weather, great teachers, lovely downtown on the river, and a gorgeous beach, the University of North Carolina Wilmington has pretty much all the right ingredients to create a laid back, relaxed atmosphere for learning. What's more, all this comes at an affordable price."

"Small but challenging classes are led by mainly excellent, passionate professors. Outside of class, professors are easily accessible during office hours for additional assistance and even help with studying."

"The honors classes are especially thought-provoking and engaging."

"As far as majors go, there are so many options here."

Colleges were selected based upon student responses to an 80-question survey about their respective school's academics, administration, campus life, student body and themselves. The 630 colleges named "regional bests" represent only about 25 percent (one in four) of the nation's 2,500 four-year colleges.

The Princeton Review is a New York City-based company known for its test prep courses, education services and books. It has conducted the survey since 1992, when it first published its annual "Best Colleges," the only guide offering college rankings based on student ratings of their schools and reports of their experiences with them.

Ranking lists of top 20 colleges in more than 50 categories are in the new 2008 edition of The Princeton Review book Best 366 Colleges and can be viewed at www.PrincetonReview.com.