LEXINGTON, Ky.— A national publication recently recognized Transylvania University as one of the best educational bangs for the buck in the region.
Kiplinger’s Personal Finance named Transylvania a top-10 best value for liberal arts schools in the Mid-South and Southeast. The magazine based its ratings on affordability and academic quality.
Transylvania and the other top schools on the list give students and parents what they’re looking for in an education: namely small class sizes, a high four-year graduation rate and an outstanding first-year retention rate.
While private liberal arts colleges may seem more expensive than public universities at first, better financial aid and scholarship packages and a commitment to four-year graduation help make schools such as Transylvania an affordable option.
“You should expect a positive return on your college investment,” said Brad Goan, vice president for enrollment and dean of admissions. “Our students, graduates and their families know an investment in Transylvania pays them back many times over.”
Beyond the financial assistance that more than 98 percent of Transylvania students receive, there’s the value of an education that empowers them and gives them the tools and confidence to succeed in life.
Kiplinger’s rankings consider both academic and cost-related criteria. These include student-to-faculty ratio, incoming students’ test scores, four- and five-year graduation rates, and the admission rate. Other factors are the sticker price, average student debt at graduation, and availability and average amount of need- and merit-based financial aid.
Looking at the rankings on a national, as opposed to a regional scale, Transylvania ranks 59th among the U.S. private colleges.
To see the complete list of Best College Values in the Southeast/Mid-South, click here.