Beautiful historic architecture and intimate, student-centered classroom experiences were standouts in a hit parade of contributing factors cited by the prestigious Fiske Guide to Colleges when it included the University of Mary Washington on its 2026 list of top U.S. schools.
Former New York Times Education Editor Edward B. Fiske launched the outlet in 1982, seeking to create a more substantive and humanistic alternative to mainstream ranking systems. The guide therefore relies on sources like campus visits, anonymous student questionnaires, and parent and faculty interviews to showcase the nation’s “best and most interesting colleges.”
The Fiske report praised UMW as “one of the premier public liberal arts and sciences colleges in the country,” attracting students who are “serious about academics, committed to an inclusive community, and eager to contribute to the greater good.” It highlighted small class sizes—58 percent cap rolls at 20—and called student quotes like this one from political science major par for the course: “We are able to fully participate and not be another number in a room of hundreds.”
Flagship academic programs like communications, psychology, biology, and digital studies all got spotlighted, but the international affairs major received a glowing ovation. It’s bolstered by proximity to and connections within Washington, D.C., and Richmond, which serve as a “handy asset for budding politicos.” UMW.edu —by E.J.W.
This article originally appeared in the April 2026 issue.
