Calvin Earns US News Kudos
U.S. News & World Report has released its new edition of "America's Best Colleges" and Calvin College in Grand Rapids has been honored as one of the top schools in the Midwest and as a Best Value.
Calvin was ranked 10th in its category of "Best Regional Universities in the Midwest" marking the 13th time in the last 15 years that Calvin has been a top 20 school. Calvin's category includes some 125 colleges and universities, putting the Christian, liberal arts college in the top 10 percent. No other Michigan school broke into the top 30.
Calvin also was ranked 5th in the Midwest in the Best Values category, again the only Michigan school so honored in that category. That ratings system looks at the ratio of quality to price, the percentage of undergrads receiving grants meeting financial need and the average discount received. Calvin had 63 percent of its students receive grants based on need and an average cost after grants of just under $13,000. Drury College (MO) was top-rated in the Midwest.
As mentioned Calvin's category of Midwest Universities includes some 125 schools. Among other Michigan schools, Aquinas College in Grand Rapids made the Second Tier (35th through 64th), joining such state schools as Central Michigan University and Northern Michigan University.
The Third Tier (65th through 93rd) included Grand Valley State University, Eastern Michigan University and Lake Superior State University. The Fourth Tier (94th through 125th) included Cornerstone University, Ferris State University, Madonna University, Marygrove College and Saginaw Valley State University.
To arrive at its "America's Best Colleges" rankings, U.S. News & World Report did a reputational survey of college presidents, deans and admissions directors at accredited four-year colleges and universities. The resulting reputational rankings then were combined with educational data that had been provided by the colleges themselves. These included statistics that measured student selectivity, retention, faculty resources, financial resources, graduation rate and alumni satisfaction.
Calvin scored high in several categories, including alumni giving rate (3rd in its category), graduation rate (6th in its category), freshman retention rate, percentage of faculty which is full time and incoming ACT scores.