CORRECTING and REPLACING GamePro Media and The Princeton Review Name Top 10 Undergraduate and Top 10 Graduate Schools For Video Game Design Study

University of Southern California Captures #1 Spot on Both Undergrad and Grad Lists

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The section labeled The top 10 graduate schools for video game design study for 2011, Honorable Mentions should read Academy of Art University (San Francisco, CA) (sted Academy of Art University (Redmond, WA)).

“Game design study is an incredibly relevant subject for our readers, especially given the upcoming Game Developers Conference [GDC], which showcases the real-world application of this education.”

The corrected release reads:

GAMEPRO MEDIA AND THE PRINCETON REVIEW NAME TOP 10 UNDERGRADUATE AND TOP 10 GRADUATE SCHOOLS FOR VIDEO GAME DESIGN STUDY

University of Southern California Captures #1 Spot on Both Undergrad and Grad Lists

GamePro Media (http://www.gamepro.com) and The Princeton Review (http://www.princetonreview.com) have teamed up for the second consecutive year to recognize the top schools offering video game design programs.

Reported in the April GamePro magazine (on newsstands March 8, 2011), the "Top Schools for Video Game Design Study for 2011" features 30 schools in all. It names the top 10 undergraduate and top 10 graduate schools, plus five schools in each group as Honorable Mentions.

The Princeton Review, one of the nation's best-known education services companies, chose the schools based on a comprehensive survey it conducted in the 2010-2011 academic year of administrators at 150 institutions offering video game design coursework and/or degrees in the United States and Canada.

The survey, which included more than 50 questions, covered a wide range of topics, from academics and faculty credentials to graduates’ employment and career achievements. List choices were based on criteria that broadly covered the quality of the curriculum, faculty, facilities and infrastructure. The Princeton Review also factored in data it collected from the schools on their scholarships, financial aid and career opportunities.

The top 10 undergraduate schools for video game design study for 2011 are:

1. University of Southern California (Los Angeles, CA)
2. University of Utah (Salt Lake City, UT)
3. DigiPen Institute of Technology (Redmond, WA)
4. The Art Institute of Vancouver (Vancouver, BC, Canada)
5. Michigan State University (East Lansing, MI)
6. Worcester Polytechnic Institute (Worcester, MA)
7. Drexel University (Philadelphia, PA)
8. Champlain College (Burlington, VT)
9. Rochester Institute of Technology (Rochester, NY)
10. Becker College (Worcester, MA)

Honorable Mentions:

Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta, GA), North Carolina State University (Raleigh, NC), Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Troy, NY), Savannah College of Art and Design (Savannah, GA) and Shawnee State University (Portsmouth, OH).

The top 10 graduate schools for video game design study for 2011 are:

1. University of Southern California (Los Angeles, CA)
2. University of Central Florida (Orlando, FL)
3. Southern Methodist University (Plano, TX)
4. Rochester Institute of Technology (Rochester, NY)
5. Drexel University (Philadelphia, PA)
6. University of Utah (Salt Lake City, UT)
7. University of California, Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz, CA)
8. Savannah College of Art and Design (Savannah, GA)
9. Parsons The New School for Design (New York, NY)
10. The University of Texas at Dallas (Dallas, TX)

Honorable Mentions:

Academy of Art University (San Francisco, CA), DePaul University (Chicago, IL), DigiPen Institute of Technology (Redmond, WA), Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta, GA), and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, MA)

In addition to the April GamePro magazine feature, the lists were published online today on GamePro's site at http://www.gamepro.com/article/features/218324/the-princeton-reviews-top-10-grad-undergrad-game-design-schools/ and on The Princeton Review's site at http://www.princetonreview.com/game-design.aspx. Visitors to either site can access additional information about the schools and click on links to the schools' websites.

“There are now more colleges and universities than ever focusing on game development, and graduate school has become a viable option for game design,” said Marci Yamaguchi Hughes, President of GamePro Media. “Game design study is an incredibly relevant subject for our readers, especially given the upcoming Game Developers Conference [GDC], which showcases the real-world application of this education.”

"We salute the schools on our lists for their commitment to the field of video game design study and the innovative programs they offer," said Robert Franek, Senior VP/Publishing at The Princeton Review. "For students aspiring to work in this burgeoning field, and for the companies that will need their creative talents and trained skills, we hope this project will serve as a catalyst for many successful connections."

The Princeton Review is also known for its annual rankings of colleges, law schools and business schools, which it reports on its website and in its books including "Best 373 Colleges."

About GamePro Media

A pioneering brand in gaming media for 20 years, GamePro Media produces online, print and social-media products that engage, connect, entertain and inform gamers. The company's flagship brands, GamePro magazine and GamePro.com, are highly regarded for their unique focus on the people and culture of gaming. GamePro Media's properties, including its online partner, The Escapist (www.escapistmagazine.com), attract millions of active, social and vocal young men who relish sharing their opinions with their ever-expanding networks of friends. Each month, the company's print and digital products reach millions of US gamers and also serve as a key marketing vehicle for hundreds of trusted brands. For more information, visit www.gamepromedia.com.

GamePro Media is a subsidiary of International Data Group (IDG), the world's leading technology media, events and research company. Additional information about IDG, a privately held company, is available at www.idg.com.

About The Princeton Review

The Princeton Review (Nasdaq: REVU) has been a pioneer and leader in helping students achieve their higher education goals for more than 28 years through college and graduate school test preparation and private tutoring. With more than 165 print and digital publications and a free website, www.PrincetonReview.com, the Company provides students and their parents with the resources to research, apply to, prepare for and learn how to pay for higher education. The Princeton Review partners with schools and guidance counselors throughout the U.S. to assist in college readiness, test preparation and career planning services, helping more students pursue postsecondary education. The Company also owns and operates Penn Foster Education Group, a global leader in online education. Penn Foster provides career-focused degree and vocational programs in the fields of allied health, business, technology, education and select trades through the Penn Foster High School and Penn Foster Career School (www.pennfoster.edu).

WEBSITES:
www.gamepro.com
www.princetonreview.com/game-design.aspx

Note to Editors: AJ Glasser, News Editor at GamePro Media, and David Soto, Director of Editorial Content at The Princeton Review, are available for interviews.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6629326&lang=en