The Free Press, Mankato, MN

Local News

November 15, 2009

Gustavus ranked on Kiplinger list

Magazine measures quality, affordability

By Robb Murray

ST PETER — Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter has been ranked among the top 50 “best values” in higher education by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine.

The college ranked 40th and was among just a handful of colleges to make the list.

Kiplinger’s actually separates its rankings into two groups, liberal arts colleges and universities.

No Minnesota institutions made the universities list. On the liberal arts list, however, were a handful of MIAC schools.

Besides Gustavus, Minnesota liberal arts schools included Carleton College (13), Macalaster College (25), St. Olaf College (30) and the College of Saint Benedict (42).

“These rankings were based heavily on academic quality and affordability, which are two key factors for prospective students and their families when they go about making their college choice,” said Mark Anderson, Vice President for Enrollment Management at Gustavus. “Our top 40 ranking is another sign that Gustavus is one of the top private liberal arts colleges in the country.”

Kiplinger’s describes its list as “the top schools that provide a top-quality education at an affordable price.” The magazine also states on its Web site that “our rankings measure academic quality and affordability, with quality accounting for two-thirds of the total.”

The rankings take into account factors such as admission rate, ACT scores, students per faculty, graduation rate, and several financial aid figures.

“We are proud of our outstanding faculty and the excellent academic programs that we offer,” Gustavus President Jack R. Ohle said. “We also work with families to make a Gustavus education as affordable as possible.”

Some may wonder how colleges that charge between $30,000 and $40,000 for a year of higher education can be included on a list of “best values.”

Most students who attend private colleges are awarded financial aid by the institutions. They also qualify for federal financial aid and, in Minnesota’s case, the state grant program.

In many cases, the actual cost to students is about half the sticker price.

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