Just in time for back to school, he Princeton Review—the go to resource for up to date information on college rankings—has once again listed CSULB one of the best (and most affordable) colleges in the West.

The prestigious education service company posted the results of its nation wide investigation on its website yesterday, under the heading “2013 Best Colleges: Region by region,” which listed 633 of the country’s 2500 four-year colleges that met the stringent criteria for the “regional best” award.

The Princeton Review profile describes CSULB as very large and diverse, affordable to virtually anyone and in-tune with student’s real needs. The college also figures prominently in another Princeton Review ranking—one perhaps even more relevant in these times of financial crisis—that of “Best Value” college, an honor bestowed on just 75 schools nationwide.

For the survey, the Princeton Review asked students currently enrolled to rate their experience with the colleges, and did not take into account any institution who would not allow for independent questioning of students. The 80-question structured interview spanned from the accessibility of their professors to the quality of the campus food to questions about themselves, their fellow students and their campus life.

Robert Freanek—Princeton Review’s senior vice president for publishing—recommended the Long Beach institution for anybody looking to obtain a high quality undergraduate degree at an affordable cost, and underlined how the designation as “Regional Best” is due mainly to CSULB excellent academic program.