Released: Aug. 17, 1999

Kiplinger magazine cites Centre as a "Top Value" college

DANVILLE, KY- Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine has listed Centre College among the top 50 values in private colleges in the United States. In the magazine's September 1999 issue, which arrives at newsstands this week, Centre ranked 43rd on a list of 100 schools that Kiplinger's describes as "Private Colleges Worth the Price."

The magazine analyzed 1,600 private colleges from throughout the country, then narrowed their focus to 400 schools known for their strong academic programs. Researchers then analyzed data about academic quality, including faculty-student ratio, average test scores of entering freshmen and graduation rate, and compared that to financial information that included average size of need based and merit scholarships. The end result was Kiplinger's list of the 100 private colleges that offer "top value" by providing excellent academics at an affordable cost.

In an introduction to the list, Kiplinger reporter Kristin Davis wrote: "...we looked for gems among the nation's 1,600 private schools, once again putting ourselves in the shoes of parents who want excellence for their children but who also care how much it costs."

Centre was the only Kentucky school included in Kiplinger's list of 100. A sprinkling of Indiana and Ohio schools made the list, including Wabash and Notre Dame in Indiana, as well as Kenyon and Oberlin in Ohio.

Centre President John Roush says that making the list affirms one of Centre's core commitments to its students and their families. "Centre is determined to be both exceptional and accessible," Roush explains. "That means we want to offer the best possible education while we keep our costs low enough to insure that any deserving student can enroll. We continue to achieve that goal from year to year because our alumni and friends are incredibly generous. Their donations have established a very strong endowment for student scholarships, making it possible for us to provide about $9.5 million in need and merit scholarships every year."

Centre is a selective liberal arts college with a faculty-student ratio of 11-1. More than 65 percent of entering students rank in the top 10 percent of their high school classes. Centre graduates have distinguished themselves in medicine, law and scientific research, and the college has produced 11 Fulbright Scholars in the last nine years.

In addition to the Kiplinger rating, Centre is currently cited by U.S.

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Communications Office
Centre College
600 W. Walnut Street
Danville, KY 40422

Coordinator of Public Information: Patsi Barnes Trollinger
Telephone 606-238-5719 · trllngrp@centre.edu