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SMWC ranked Best in the Midwest for the fifth year in a row

News | 09.13.2011

Once again, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College ranks as one of the Best Regional Colleges in the Midwest by U.S. News & World Report in its 2012 Best Colleges guidebook. The exclusive rankings, which include rankings of more than 1300 schools nationwide, are available today and will also be on newsstands beginning September 30, 2011.

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 371 colleges in the Midwest category draw heavily from nearby states. Among the 73 top-ranked Midwest colleges, SMWC was recognized for having one of the highest percentages of classes under 20 students at 90 percent and 40 percent of the freshmen were in the top 25 percent of their high school class.

“We are proud to be recognized for the fifth consecutive year as one of the top colleges in the Midwest,” said Dottie King, Ph.D., president of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College. “We continue to advance the liberal arts education that defines us. Students are trained to think abstractly, to devise creative solutions to complex problems, to engage in leadership and service, and most importantly, to become well-rounded human beings, determined to make a lasting impact in their careers and communities.”

Over the past two decades, the U.S. News college rankings, which group colleges and universities based on categories created by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, has grown to be the most comprehensive research tool for students and parents considering higher education opportunities. U.S. News recommends that readers think of the rankings as one tool for selecting a college. Prospective students should gather information on colleges in a number of ways-by talking to parents, high school guidance counselors, and other advisers; from college catalogs, view books, and websites; and from campus visits to form firsthand impressions.

For almost two centuries, SMWC has enabled students to think critically, communicate responsibly, grow spiritually and effect positive change in a global society. In other words, SMWC is where students flourish, find their voice, and make it heard across the country and around the world. The College offers these educational opportunities to both men and women through distance and graduate programs, while remaining committed to its heritage as a women-only campus. Founded in 1840 by Saint Mother Theodore Guerin and the Sisters of Providence, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College is the oldest, private, Catholic liberal arts college for women in the United States.