News@LYON

Aug. 22, 2008
Lyon College News Bureau

Lyon once again in top tier of U.S. News rankings,
moves up on list of 'Great Schools, Great Prices'

The 2009 edition of U.S. News & World Report's "America's Best Colleges" again ranks Lyon College in the "top tier" of national liberal arts colleges.

In the report released today, Lyon also moves up to 15th on the list of 40 "best values" among the 265 "Best Liberal Arts Colleges" in the nation. Lyon is the only college in Arkansas and one of only seven in the South on U.S. News' list of "Great Schools, Great Prices." Lyon was 16th on this list in 2007.

U.S. News determines its best value ranking by comparing a school's academic quality, as indicated by its U.S. News ranking, to the net cost of attendance for a student who receives the average level of need-based financial aid. Only colleges in the top tier of the rankings are considered.

The "Great Schools, Great Prices" list begins with Amherst and Williams College in Massachusetts and ends with Bates College in Maine. (See the list)

"U.S. News bases its rankings on graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, alumni giving and academic reputation," said Lyon College President Walter Roettger. "We are very pleased to continue to be included in the group that this independent news organization identifies as the nation's 'best liberal arts colleges' and to earn an even higher ranking for our value. This is more good news for our students and alumni."

U.S. Rep. Marion Berry, visiting the Lyon campus Wednesday, said, "Again!" when told that Lyon was once more ranked in the top tier. "We are certainly proud of it. I have a photo of Lyon in my office in Washington, D. C. I love talking about Lyon College."

U.S. News categorizes schools by mission and  – for regional institutions – by region. According to U.S. News, the 265 national liberal arts colleges "emphasize undergraduate education and award at least half their degrees in the arts and sciences."  In Arkansas, only Lyon and Hendrix College are included in this category.

U.S. News also ranks national universities, which offer a full range of undergraduate majors, plus master's and Ph.D. degrees, and emphasize faculty research; universities - master's, which offer undergraduate degrees and some master's programs but few, if any, doctoral programs; and baccalaureate colleges, which focus on undergraduate education but grant fewer than 50 percent of their degrees in liberal arts disciplines. These last two categories are further classified by geographic region.

Highlights of the college rankings are scheduled for publication in the magazine's Sept. 1 issue, available on newsstands beginning Monday, Aug. 25 -- the same day that the "America's Best Colleges" guidebook goes on sale.

Last week, Lyon was included in Forbes.com's first "America's Best Colleges" ranking. Forbes.com, in conjunction with Ohio University economist Dr. Richard Vedder and the Center for College Affordability and Productivity (CCAP), ranked Lyon College 114th out of the nation's 4,000 colleges and universities.

Lyon also has been recognized by the Princeton Review as a "Best Southeastern College" in its annual publication.