Home » Centre, Transylvania, Berea named 2014 Best Private Colleges by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance

Centre, Transylvania, Berea named 2014 Best Private Colleges by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance

Ratings based on academics and affordability

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 17, 2013) — Centre College, Transylvania University and Berea College have been cited as one of the country’s best values among private colleges, according to a list published by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine. The ratings are based on academic quality and affordability.

Transylvania University was recognized by Kiplinger's Finance.
Transylvania University was recognized by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance as one of the 2014 Best Private Colleges.

Centre College (Danville) was ranked No. 22, Transy (Lexington) was ranked 59th, and Berea was ranked No. 63.

The 200 schools included in the list provide high-quality academics at a reasonable cost. They exemplify the attributes parents and students look for in higher education, including small class sizes, a good freshman retention rate and a high four-year graduation rate, according to Kiplinger’s. View the full list of schools at www.kiplinger.com/links/college.

“Our rankings serve as a resource to help students and families make more informed choices,” said Janet Bodnar, editor of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance. “Combining a high-quality education with an affordable price tag is a challenge, but the colleges on this year’s list offer the best of both worlds.”

Although private schools generally carry higher sticker prices than public schools, more generous scholarship and financial aid packages as well as a commitment to four-year graduation often make the out-of-pocket costs at private colleges very competitive with public universities.

Centre-IMG_7621“You should expect a positive return on your college investment,” said Brad Goan, Transylvania’s vice president for enrollment and dean of admissions.  “Transylvania students, graduates and their families know an investment in Transylvania pays them back over and over again.”

Academic criteria for Kiplinger’s rankings include the student admission rate (the number of students accepted out of those who apply), the test scores of incoming freshmen, the ratio of students to faculty members, and the four- and five-year graduation rates. On the cost side, Kiplinger’s measures the sticker price, the availability and average amount of need-based and merit-based financial aid, and the average student debt at graduation.