In 2020, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), College Pulse, and RealClearEducation launched a first-of-its-kind tool to help high school students and their parents identify which colleges promote and protect the free exchange of ideas. The response to the College Free Speech Rankings and online tool was overwhelmingly positive. We now present the third annual 2023 College Free Speech Rankings.
Prospective students found it incredibly helpful to see what a large number of current students reported about the actual campus climate for open discussion and inquiry, allowing for comparisons between colleges. The rankings helped colleges and universities better understand their campus climate in order to improve it. And professors and staff became better able to understand which topics students on their campus found difficult to discuss.
The 2023 College Free Speech Rankings is a comprehensive comparison of the student experience of free speech on their campuses. These rankings are based on the voices of over 44,500 students currently enrolled in four-year degree programs at 208 colleges and are designed to help parents and prospective students choose the right college.
Here is what our research covers:
- Administrative support of free speech
- Students’ self-censorship on campus
- Which issues students find difficult to discuss openly
To gain access to more insights, download our free report.
