wfn.org | Ten United Methodist schools make best Christian college list

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

June 2, 1999	Contact: Linda Green*(615)742-5470*Nashville, Tenn.
10-71B{310}

By United Methodist News Service

Ten United Methodist-related schools have been named among the best
Christian colleges in the nation for the upcoming academic year by a
2-year-old ranking publication.

America's Best Christian Colleges: 2000 singled out 92 schools as having the
highest academic standards among denominational and interdenominational
colleges and universities. 

The United Methodist-related schools listed are Birmingham-Southern College,
Birmingham, Ala.; Centenary College of Louisiana, Shreveport; Florida
Southern College, Lakeland;  Kansas Wesleyan University, Salina; Kentucky
Wesleyan College, Owensboro; McKendree College, Lebanon, Ill.; Oklahoma City
University; Southern Methodist University, Dallas; University of Evansville,
Evansville, Ind.; and Wofford College, Spartanburg, S.C.

The publication, compiled by Institutional Research & Evaluation in
Gainesville, Ga., gives information on frequently asked questions about
Christian colleges, along with profiles of each school. It also provides a
complete listing of athletic scholarship programs for men and women. The
independent research and consulting organization specializes in the
recruiting and retention of students of higher education institutions.
 
"The public's interest in a Christian-oriented education has grown sharply
in the last 10 years as families have searched for colleges and universities
of all sizes that focus on providing students with personal attention in a
supportive Christian environment," said Lewis T. Lindsey, president of the
organization.
 
"The United Methodist Church  has a long historical commitment to higher
education, and the individual institutions on the report are a direct
reflection of that continuing commitment," said Lindsey, a United Methodist
from the North Georgia Annual Conference.

The company surveyed 1,537 colleges and universities in May and June 1998,
and schools from 31 states are represented in the book. 

To be considered for the book, a school had to be an accredited four-year
institution; offer residence halls and dining services; provide
opportunities to qualified students for need-based, academic-based and
athletic-based financial aid; have an entering freshman class with a high
school grade point average and SAT or ACT score equal to or above the
national average; and be affiliated with a recognized Christian denomination
or otherwise be an institution that incorporates Christian principles and
beliefs into its curriculum and social environment.

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