Goshen College is now ranked 131st out of 249 liberal arts schools in ‘U.S. News & World Report’s’ 2010 list delineating “America’s Best Colleges.” Last year GC received 149th place out of 249 colleges. In addition, Goshen has been placed in the third tier of Best Liberal Arts Colleges for nine consecutive years.
With 85% of graduates studying internationally, GC received a sixth place ranking among all universities and colleges in that category. Amongst liberal arts colleges, GC received special recognition for a high percentage of international students, a high freshman retention rate, low class sizes, a low acceptance rate, and the economic and racial diversity among the student body. Among other liberal arts institutions, GC ranked 93rd for being a ‘least debt college,’ with an average total indebtedness for the graduating class of 2008 of $20,857.
"We are a Christ-centered liberal arts college with much to offer, and these rankings show some of the important ways we prepare students to be informed, articulate, sensitive and responsible members of a rapidly changing world," said President James E. Brenneman. "But these numbers and statistics cannot convey the daily stories of the ways our students and faculty – with compassion and conviction – are bringing about change in the world around us."
GC is ranked within the "Liberal Arts" category, which is, as described by the Carnegie Commission, a group of schools that focus on undergraduate education and award half of their degrees in the arts and sciences.
"U.S. News & World Report" categorizes different colleges and universities according to mission and ranks them by compiling data in 15 areas related to academic excellence such as peer assessment, and graduation and retention rates. A complete list of 2010 rankings can be found on the magazine's Web site: www.usnews.com.
In addition to rankings by “U.S News,” Forbes.com moved GC up on their rankings in its ratings of U.S. colleges and universities. GC now ranks 117th based on the quality of education provided, how much students achieve, and various other factors. GC was seventh out of the 16 Indiana institutions that made this list.