Lawrence University was named the best value for delivering a high-quality education at an affordable price among Wisconsin private colleges and universities by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance in the magazine’s 2010-11 rankings released Oct. 28.
Kiplinger’s ranked Lawrence 43rd nationally among 100 private liberal arts colleges in the country and first among three Wisconsin private institutions, ahead of Beloit College (59th) in the liberal arts college category and Marquette University (50th) in the universities category.
The schools on Kiplinger’s list were selected from a pool of more than 600 private institutions and were ranked by both academic quality and affordability. Quality accounted for two-thirds of the rankings’ weight.
“Obviously we are pleased to be included among the best educational values in the country, particularly since two-thirds of this ranking is based upon academic quality,” said Steve Syverson, vice president for enrollment and dean of admissions and financial aid. “Lawrence is proud of its long-standing commitment to providing access to the strongest students, regardless of their family’s income.”
Nearly a quarter of Lawrence’s domestic students qualify for federal Pell Grants, which provide need-based grants to low income students to promote access to post-secondary education. More than 90 percent of Lawrence students receive some form of financial aid, with nearly 70 percent receiving need-based aid. The average financial aid package for 2010-11 is $28,100.
Swarthmore College was top-ranked among liberal arts colleges on Kiplinger’s list while Princeton University was number one on the private university list, nudging out the California Institute of Technology, which had been top-ranked each of the past four years.
