wfn.org | [PCUSANEWS] PC(USA) colleges fare well in newest rankings

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

04416
September 21, 2004

PC(USA) colleges fare well in newest rankings

'U.S. News & World Report' poll rates 12 in the top 106

by Jerry L. Van Marter

LOUISVILLE * Twelve Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)-related colleges are 
included in the U.S. News & World Report list of the 106 "Best Liberal Arts 
Colleges," which was released this week.
	 Though the magazine's annual rankings are frequently criticized by 
some as not always reflective of academic quality, they have become the 
rankings of choice for many parents and prospective students.
Davidson (NC) College was the highest-ranked PC(USA) school on the list at
#12.
	 Others on the "Best Liberal Arts Colleges" list are Macalester 
College (MN), #27; Lafayette College (PA), #32; Centre College (KY), #42; 
Rhodes College (TN), #47; Agnes Scott College (GA), #53; College of Wooster 
(OH), #59; Austin College (TX), #70; Hanover College (IN), #90; 
Presbyterian College (SC), #93; Coe College (IA), #105; and Lake Forest 
College (IL), #106.
	 Of the top 50 liberal arts colleges in the rankings, only 11 still 
identify themselves as church-related and 5 of those are Presbyterian.
	 U. S. News & World Report ranks colleges in a number of categories 
and PC(USA) schools did very well in several of them.
	 Seven schools were rated among the best schools in their region: 
Arcadia University (PA), Mary Baldwin College (VA), Queens University of 
Charlotte (NC), Warren Wilson College (NC), Trinity University (TX), 
Whitworth College (WA) and Westminster College (UT).
	 The "Best Comprehensive (undergraduate) Colleges" list included 15 
PC(USA) schools: Grove City College (PA), Wilson College (PA), Maryville 
College (TN), Davis & Elkins College (WV), Belhaven College (MS), Peace 
College (NC), Johnson C. Smith University (NC), Stillman College (AL), 
Pikeville College (KY), Millikin University (IL), Illinois College (IL), 
Buena Vista University (IA), Carroll College (WI), College of the Ozarks 
(MO) and Rocky Mountain College (MT).
	 The University of Tulsa was named among the "Best National 
Universities," defined as schools that offer a wide range of undergraduate 
majors as well as master's and doctoral degrees.
	 Four Presbyterian schools * Agnes Scott College (GA), Bloomfield 
College (NJ), Belhaven College (MS) and Missouri Valley College (MO) * were 
recognized for the diversity of their student bodies, and five PC(USA) 
schools were noted for their percentage of international students: 
University of Tulsa (OK), Macalester College (MN), Lake Forest College 
(IL), Agnes Scott College (GA) and Eckerd College (FL).
	 Nine Presbyterian schools were recognized for having outstanding 
programs in certain areas that contribute to student success: Warren Wilson 
College (NC) * internships and service learning programs; Eckerd College 
(FL)  and Maryville College (TN) * first-year experiences; College of 
Wooster (OH) and Davidson College (NC) *  undergraduate research and 
creative projects; and Arcadia University (PA) and Macalester College (MN) 
* study abroad. 
	 And 16 PC(USA) colleges and universities were rated as "best 
values": Agnes Scott College (GA), Buena Vista University (IA), Centre 
College (KY), Grove City College (PA), Hanover College (IN), Lafayette 
College (PA), Lake Forest College (IL), Macalester College (MN), Maryville 
College (TN), University of the Ozarks (AR), Rocky Mountain College (MT), 
Trinity University (TX), Westminster College (UT), Whitworth College (WA), 
Wilson College (PA), and the College of Wooster (OH).

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