Washington College Is Recognized as Top Tier Liberal Arts College in U.S. News' Latest Rankings

CHESTERTOWN, MD—Washington College is ranked in the top 100 of the influential U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges guide, which released its 2013 edition this week. The College is listed at #96 among all the national liberal arts schools across the nation (an increase of 10% over last year).  Separate rankings list national universities and regional colleges and universities.  

            A total of 1,391 colleges and universities were surveyed by the “Best Colleges” staff, which considers up to 16 factors, from acceptance and graduation rates to alumni giving. Freshman retention, class sizes and student-faculty ratio are weighed for the rankings, as are professors’ salaries and education levels and the percentage who teach full-time. Another important factor is “academic reputation,” as determined by the opinions of high school guidance counselors and top academic administrators at peer institutions. Lastly, the ranking formula considers the average spending per student, excluding expenditures for sports and dorms.

 “Our ongoing efforts to enhance our beautiful campus, support our dedicated faculty and create opportunities—both inside and outside the classroom—for our talented students are bound to be reflected in these national surveys,” says Washington College president Mitchell B. Reiss.

 “I see a campus that is hitting its stride in every area that matters for a life-changing liberal arts education,” he adds. “I see increased academic rigor throughout the curriculum, an amazing array of enriching speakers and events, signature programs in environmental studies, literature and American history, an increasingly lively arts scene, and a robust career counseling and job placement center. We can all be immensely proud of where we are and where we are going.”