For the sixth consecutive year, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (SMWC) once again prevails as one of the Best Regional Colleges in the Midwest according to the U.S. News & World Report’s 2013 Best Colleges guidebook. The exclusive rankings include more than 1,400 schools nationwide.
Ranked 27 among the 72 top Midwest colleges, SMWC was recognized for having one of the highest percentages of classes under 20 students at 91 percent, an average graduation rate of 52 percent, and 40 percent of the freshmen were in the top 25 percent of their high school class. According to the selection methodology, the regional colleges focus almost entirely on the undergraduate experience and offer a broad range of programs in the liberal arts and in fields such as business and education. The 370 colleges in the Midwest category draw heavily from nearby states.
“We are proud to be recognized as one of the top colleges in the Midwest,” said Dottie King, Ph.D., president of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College. “We believe this to be reflective of the quality of our programs, faculty, staff and students.”
King recommends prospective students and parents think of the rankings as one tool for making informed decisions during the college selection process. “Students should gather information on colleges in a number of ways – by talking with high school guidance counselors, parents, graduates, and other advisors, as well as visiting college campuses to form firsthand impressions.
SMWC empowers students to think critically, communicate responsibly and grow spiritually. In other words, SMWC is where students flourish, find their voice and use it to effect positive change in a competitive and complex world. The College offers these educational opportunities to women and men through distance and graduate programs, while remaining committed to its heritage as a women-only campus.
With a low faculty-to-student ratio, diverse leadership opportunities, and many options for faculty-student collaboration, The Woods provides numerous paths for student exploration at home and abroad. Additionally, a Woods education isn’t contingent upon income. More than 90 percent of Independent Colleges of Indiana students receive institutional, federal and state grants. A combination of these grants coupled with the College’s Tuition Promise (tuition remains the same for all four years) often makes an SMWC education more affordable than attending an Indiana public university.
Read more coverage about SMWC’s ranking:
- Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College ranks 27th in Midwest, Tribune Star, September 2012