RELEASED: December 24, 2009

By Mike Norris

DANVILLE, KY—When Forbes magazine unveiled its first-ever "Best Colleges" list in August of 2008, Centre community members were gratified at the College's No. 13 ranking, ahead of such luminaries as M.I.T., Stanford, and Duke.

Some online commentators speculated that Centre's lofty position was a fluke and predicted a precipitous decline in the next Forbes edition of "Best Colleges."

Two Years Running
They proved to be exactly wrong, as the College pulled a near-identical No. 14 position (ahead of institutions such as the University of Chicago, Middlebury and Northwestern University) in the 2009 rankings.

A closer look at the 2009 Forbes top 25 list reveals that Centre is not only in the midst of august educational company, but among colleges and universities is, in fact, the "leader among leaders" in affordability.

With the exception of the two military academies (which do not charge tuition but require five years of military service), Centre is the least expensive by a substantial margin.

Widely Recognized for Outstanding Value
This is far from the first time that the College's exceptional value has been highlighted. Consumers Digest continues to rate Centre as the No. 1 value among all U.S. liberal arts colleges.

In addition, U.S. News & World Report included Centre on its 2010 "Great Colleges, Great Prices" list, in the No. 25 spot. (The College also maintained its place among U.S. News's top-50 national liberal arts colleges in the nation.)

Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine included Centre in its February and December 2009 lists of best value colleges. In both issues, Centre is ranked 29th among all U.S. private liberal arts colleges.

Other publications praising Centre's value are The Princeton Review and USA Today, which collaborated to present the 100 "Best Value Colleges for 2009." Centre is the only Kentucky institution to make the list.

And finally, in addition to being ranked 14th among all U.S. colleges and universities by Forbes in August 2009, Centre ranked No. 14 on Forbes's list of 200 schools called "America's Best College Buys."

Do the Rankings Matter?
Well, yes. The recognition and prestige that a school commands is relevant in many areas—from post-graduate scholarships to graduate school acceptance to job-search success.

But while rankings are not unimportant, they are not definitive and should only be one factor in the college decision process. "There's no doubt that any ranking methodology can be legitimately criticized," Centre President John A. Roush says. "It's simply not possible to rank complex organizations like colleges and universities in the same way athletic teams chase rankings. Yet while rankings should certainly be taken with a large grain of salt, it is a good thing that wherever those who use them turn, they will find Centre in the mix of America's educational leaders."

Centre, by Any Measure
Though all ranking systems are subject to question, as in nature, there is strength in numbers. If different approaches reach a similar conclusion, credibility increases. To again quote Roush: "The combination of accolades makes a powerful statement about Centre's excellence, the value of the education it offers, and the national recognition it consistently receives. Wherever you look—from U.S. News to Forbes to Colleges That Change Lives to the National Survey of Student Engagement—you'll find Centre among the leaders. Very few educational institutions in America are regarded so favorably by so many."

The Best Way to Rank: A Campus Visit
Experts agree, the best way to judge a college is by being there…preferably overnight. By sitting in on classes, visiting with professors, coaches and other administrators and socializing with students, college-bound high schoolers can often quickly and clearly determine if the school "feels right."

Prospective students are urged to come and "rank Centre" for themselves. To schedule a visit, click here.

Have comments, suggestions, or story ideas? E-mail leigh.ivey@centre.edu with your feedback.

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Founded in 1819, Centre College is ranked among the U.S. News top 50 national liberal arts colleges. Consumers Digest ranks Centre No. 1 in educational value among all U.S. liberal arts colleges. Centre alumni, known for their nation-leading loyalty in annual financial support, include two U.S. vice presidents and two Supreme Court justices. For more, visit http://www.centre.edu/web/elevatorspeech/

For news archives go to http://www.centre.edu/web/news/newsarchive.html.