Here Are the Best Colleges for Students Looking to Make an Impact

Surveys have shown that today's college-aged individuals are more socially conscious than the generations that came before them (and in turn, are looking for similar priorities in their employers). According to a report by the Pew Research Center, they are also on their way to becoming part of the most educated generation in history. It makes sense then that Millennials would consider a college's opportunities for making an impact when deciding where to enroll.

As part of the Princeton Review's recently published "Colleges That Pay You Back: 2016 Edition," they compiled a list of the best schools for prospective students looking to make a difference in the world. The University of North Carolina at Asheville topped the list. According to Business Insider, UNC stands out for its civically-engaged students and environmental efforts. Twice a year, the school hosts Greenfest, a festival on sustainability that in the past has featured a farm-to-table dinner on the quad and panels of alumni working in sustainability [PDF].

The other colleges that broke the top five were Macalester College, Clark University, Oberlin College, and Furman University. 

To decide the rankings, students around the country were surveyed to see how their schools stacked up in terms of student government, sustainability efforts, and community service. In addition to evaluating current student bodies, Princeton Review also checked to see if the trends carried over into post-grad life. To do this they looked at PayScale.com's reported percentage of alumni who cited having meaningful jobs. You can view the full list of impactful institutions on Princeton Review.