College again among America's best

By Mandi Hollenbaugh

The College has received a second-place rating in the category of Best Comprehensive College–Bachelor’s of the Northern Region, in the latest U.S. News and World Report ranking of “America’s Best Colleges.” This is the eighth consecutive year that the College has been recognized in the top five in its category, though this year marks a fresh placement for the College.

In the 2002 annual report, the College has been moved to a new category known as Comprehensive College–Bachelor’s. In previous years it had been ranked under several different listings including last years placement among the top Regional Liberal Arts Colleges of the Northern Region.

Based on a collection of characteristics including graduation rate, student to faculty ratio, acceptance rate and alumni giving, the College scored a core of 94 points out of a total 100 point evaluation. The new Comprehensive College–Bachelor’s category is intended to focus on an undergraduate curriculum in a college offering a range of degrees primarily in the liberal arts and similar professional fields.

With a student to faculty ratio of 12:1, 53 percent of classes having a student enrollment of less than 20 students, an 83 percent retention rate, a 77 percent acceptance rate, 62 percent of freshmen in the top 25 percent of their high school class and an alumni giving rate of 32 percent, the College fell just below the top ranked school in this category, Stonehill College (Mass.), which received an unblemished score.

Kent Barnds, director of Admissions and assistant dean of enrollment management, said he is pleased with the U.S. News and World Report ranking. However, he noted that the rankings “do not accurately tell the whole story about a college education.” He said the Admissions Office will utilize the scores in order to highlight important aspects of student life and academics on campus, though they will be careful to “neither underestimate nor overestimate” the amount of promotional materials that are based solely on this report. Over 38,000 postcards will be mailed in the coming weeks to alumni, current and prospective students around the nation.

In a press release dated September 11, Acting President Ronald McAllister issued the following statement concerning the recent award:  “We’re thrilled Elizabethtown College has once again been honored by the U.S. News and World Report.  We can take pride in our standings in all categories and with the entrance of the Class of 2005, which is the largest and most selective class ever, we hope our excellent standings in these areas continue.”

Each year the U.S. News and World Report issues a listing of “America’s Best Colleges” based on categories such as National Universities–Doctoral, Liberal Arts Colleges–Bachelor’s, Comprehensive Colleges–Bachelor’s and Specialty Schools. The Comprehensive category is based on the College’s specialty as an institution that primarily awards bachelors degrees with the exception of now offering one masters degree in Occupational Therapy, according to Edward Novak, director of College Relations.

Novak noted that the rankings the report utilizes are a result of a categorical system created by the Carnegie Foundation, a non-profit organization governed by an independent, national Board of Trustees. The Foundation is separate from any university or other non-profit organization.

U.S. News and World Report has developed a way to identify and describe the accreditation of certain educational facilities based on the categories outlined by the Foundation.