Hillsdale College Named Best College Value

December 23, 2014 – Hillsdale, Michigan

Hillsdale College is among the nation’s best values for higher education, according to a new report from Kiplinger’s Personal Finance. In its “Best College Values” of 2015, Kiplinger ranked Hillsdale 1st in Michigan and 2nd in the Midwest among all colleges and universities, and 17th among liberal arts colleges nationwide. The ranking cites four-year schools that combine outstanding academics with affordable cost.

“Students come to Hillsdale College looking not for trends or fads, but for a rock-solid education rooted in permanent goods and truths,” said Dr. David Whalen, provost of Hillsdale College. “There is a common understanding among faculty and students that what we’re learning here matters for lives well lived.

“Hillsdale College was founded with a focus on the kind of learning necessary to perpetuate civil and religious liberty. That includes rigorous core requirements in literature, history, the Constitution, philosophy, religion, psychology, the sciences and other subjects that many institutions marginalize as electives. As a result, all Hillsdale College students graduate understanding things inherently good and possessed of the tools needed to serve family, country, and the highest truths we can know.”

Kiplinger analyzes academic quality, cost and financial aid measures from nearly 1,200 public and private four-year schools to determine the Best College Values. Rankings account for competitiveness, sophomore-return and graduation rates, student-faculty ratio, academic support, cost and financial aid, and student indebtedness upon graduation. Hillsdale College moved up 11 positions in the ranking for 2015, having occupied the 28th spot among liberal arts colleges nationwide in Kiplinger’s 2014 survey.

“One of the things that drew me to Hillsdale was the extraordinary access to high-quality professors from day one,” said Kyle Murnen, who graduated from Hillsdale College in 2009 and is now pursuing a master’s degree at Hillsdale’s Van Andel Graduate School of Statesmanship. “The relationships I’ve developed on campus with professors and other students have been a great advantage for me, not only for my education but looking forward to my career.”

The complete rankings, including the top schools overall as well as the best values in public schools, private universities and private liberal arts colleges, are available online at www.kiplinger.com/links/college. The rankings will also appear in the February 2015 issues of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, on newsstands January 6, 2015.

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