ST. MARY’S CITY, Md. (August 25, 2009) – St. Mary’s College of Maryland (SMCM) ranks first among public traditional liberal arts colleges in the nation in this week’s edition of U. S. News and World Report magazine. The college received the highest ranking as one of the top five public liberal arts colleges.St. Mary’s College of Maryland placed 92nd in the overall liberal arts colleges ranking, which includes private schools. St. Mary’s College was rated above Goucher and Bennington colleges. The number one and number two ranked liberal arts colleges were Williams and Amherst.
The magazine cited SMCM’s increased competitive acceptance rates. These rates are reflected by improved SAT scores and an increase in the percentage of high school seniors ranking in the top 10 percent of their class.
“The U.S. News and World Report ranking is significant,” said Tom Botzman, vice president of business and finance at St. Mary’s College. “We are particularly proud of the increase in high school students at the top of their classes and in overall SAT scores.”
The college was judged one of the best of the 266 liberal arts colleges in the nation, of which most are private. Liberal arts colleges emphasize undergraduate education and award at least half their degrees in the arts and sciences.
The only other public institutions to rank higher than SMCM on the magazine’s list of “Best Public Liberal Arts Colleges” were some of the nation’s military academies: the U.S. Military Academy (NY), the U.S. Naval Academy (MD), and the Virginia Military Institute.
Using a proprietary methodology, the annual U. S. News & World Report rankings represent a comprehensive look at how schools compare. Methodology is based on 15 widely accepted indicators of excellence, and help consumers evaluate and compare data compiled from more than 1,400 accredited colleges and universities. An online and video guide to the report is available on the website www.usnews.com.