NORTH MANCHESTER — As students, faculty and staff prepare for a new academic year, The Princeton Review — a leading guide for college-bound students — has once again included Manchester University in its “Best in the Midwest” listing.

Manchester, a perennial on the list, annually ranks among the best in the nation and the Midwest for its rigorous academic programs and commitment to volunteer service. It has also been selected as a “best college” by U.S. News and World Report for 21 consecutive years.

“Every college in our book has outstanding academics, said Robert Franek, Princeton Review’s senior vice president and publisher. “While our purpose is not to crown one college academically ‘best’ overall or to rank the schools 1 to 380 on any single topic, our lists provide direct student feedback on the schools’ campus culture, program offerings and cost. Our goal is to help applicants choose and get into their dream college — the college best for them.”

It picked 159 schools from 12 states for the Midwest list. The Princeton Review surveyed 136,000 students to come up with results for its new book, “The Best 380 Colleges.”

Classes begin Monday, Aug. 10, for pharmacy students at the Fort Wayne campus. Classes at the North Manchester campus begin Wednesday, Aug. 26.