wfn.org | ELCA Colleges and Universities Are Good Values

[ELCANEWS@ELCASCO.ELCA.ORG]

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

NEWSBRIEF

September 30, 1996

ELCA COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES ARE GOOD VALUES

"U.S. News & World Report" counts several colleges and
universities of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America among
the best values in U.S. higher education.  The magazine's Sept.
22 issue related the cost and educational quality of America's
best colleges.  Colleges were ranked for efficiency -- "high in
educational quality but spend relatively less money to achieve
that ranking" -- for sticker price -- "stated tuition, room,
board and any required fees" -- and for discounted costs --
sticker price "plus estimated cost of books and personal
expenses, less the average size of financial aid awards that meet
students' needs."  National universities, national liberal arts
colleges, regional universities and regional liberal arts
colleges are compared only with other colleges in those
categories.  Texas Lutheran College (now Texas Lutheran
University), Seguin, Texas, ranked first among regional liberal
arts college in the West for discount prices, fourth for
efficiency and sixth for sticker prices.  Gustavus Adolphus
College, St. Peter, Minn., was listed second among national
liberal arts colleges for efficiency, eighth for discount prices
and 13th for sticker prices.  Augustana College, Sioux Falls,
S.D., ranked seventh among Midwest liberal arts colleges for
discount prices and 10th for sticker prices.  St. Olaf College,
Northfield, Minn., was listed seventh among national liberal arts
colleges for sticker prices and 29th for discount prices.
Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove, Pa., ranked seventh among
liberal arts college in the North for discount prices.  Pacific
Lutheran University, Tacoma, Wash., was listed 12th among
regional universities in the West for discount prices and 15th
for sticker prices.  Wittenberg University, Columbus, Ohio, had
the unenviable ranking of 25th among national liberal arts
colleges "whose graduates leave campus owing the most ... in
student loans."  Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, Ind., an
independent Lutheran university, ranked sixth among Midwest
regional universities for discount prices and 10th for sticker
prices.

For information contact: Ann Hafften, Dir., ELCA News Service,
(312) 380-2958 or AHAFFTEN@ELCA.ORG; Frank Imhoff, Assoc. Dir.,
(312) 380-2955 or FRANKI@ELCA.ORG