Westminster College Ranked Fourth in Graduation Rate Performance by U.S. News

Westminster College is among the nation's best in enhancing the educational achievement of its students, according to a national study released today.

U.S. News & World Report's 2006 Guide to America's Best Colleges cited Westminster as one of the nation's best in enhancing the educational achievement of its students.  Westminster ranked tied for fourth among Liberal Arts Colleges and in the top ten of all colleges in graduation rate performance. Westminster College's 76% graduation rate was 17% higher than predicted.

Fisk University in Tennessee (+25%), Barber Scotia College in North Carolina (+23%), and St. Anselm College in New Hampshire (+18%) were the only Liberal Arts Colleges with higher graduation rate performances.  Richard Stockton College in New Jersey and Siena College in New York also exceeded expected graduation rates by 17 percent.  South Carolina State University (+28%), The University of California-Irvine (+22%), Widener College in Pennsylvania (+22%), and St. John's University in New York (+20%) were the only National Universities with higher graduation rate performances.

The indicator, developed by U.S. News and previously called 'value added,' is designed to capture the effect of the college's programs and policies on the graduation rate of its students after controlling for spending and student aptitude.  U.S. News arrives at the score by measuring the difference between a school's six-year graduation rate for the class that entered in 1998, and the predicted graduation rate for the class.  The predicted graduation rate is calculated using a formula that accounts for the standardized test scores of these students and the school's expenditures on them over the years.  If the actual graduation rate is higher than the predicted rate, the college is enhancing the students' achievement.

'We are pleased to be recognized by the national media for serving our students -- Westminster's number one objective. Westminster is a student-centered college, and this ranking reflects that commitment,' said Westminster College President R. Thomas Williamson.

The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching reclassified higher education institutions late in 2000 resulting in a new classification system for U.S. News & World Report.  This year 217 colleges were included in the category, and these institutions must award at least 50 percent of their degrees in liberal arts disciplines and emphasize undergraduate education.

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