College Raptor Names TAC #1 “Hidden Gem” College in U.S.

“If you prefer space and a more relaxed atmosphere to the hustle and bustle of a big city,” or you are looking for schools that “have a strong sense of community among their students,” then the editors of College Raptor have a list of 25 “hidden gems” you may want to consider. And the top school on that list is none other than Thomas Aquinas College.

After recently recognizing TAC among its rankings of the Top 25 “Best Colleges in the Far West” and “Best Rural Colleges,” the online guide has named the College as No. 1 on its list of the Top 25 Best Rural Hidden Gem Colleges. To qualify for the list, schools must receive fewer than 5,000 applications per year, maintain an undergraduate population of no more than 7,000, and accept at least 10 percent of their applicants.

With campuses well within driving distance of Los Angeles and Boston, respectively, Thomas Aquinas College may not qualify as “rural” in the strictest sense of the term. But both its California and New England locations are sufficiently remote to provide a sense of quiet and tranquility that allows students to focus on their studies with minimal distraction.

“Thomas Aquinas College is quite unique,” College Raptor observes, noting that it “offers only one major: Liberal Arts” and “doesn’t accept direct funding from the government.” Furthermore, “the student-to-faculty ratio is 11 to 1,” and the College “boasts a 91 percent first-year retention rate.”