Alma College Named a College of Distinction
College Guide Honors Outstanding American Colleges and Universities
Alma College has been selected by an independent committee of high school and college admissions professionals as one of fewer than 300 institutions nationwide for inclusion in Colleges of Distinction, a new college guidebook profiling some of America's best bets in higher education.
Colleges of Distinction honors colleges that excel in key areas of educational quality," according to Ruth McClelland-Nugent, an editor for the publication.
"This is a great honor for any college," said McClelland-Nugent. "The schools in this book are some of the very best in the country. Some are household names, some are 'hidden gems,' but they are all great places to get an education."
To qualify for inclusion, schools were evaluated in four categories: engaged students, great teaching, vibrant communities and successful outcomes. Alma is one of only four Michigan colleges selected.
"Alma College is very pleased to be recognized for those institutional qualities that matter most, such as quality of teaching, the kinds of experiences available to students, and how well students do after they graduate," said Alma President Saundra Tracy. "This is the kind of information families and prospective students should most seek in considering which college is right for them."
The Colleges of Distinction guidebook, to be published in March 2007, is designed to help high school students and their parents find a college that will be the right fit for their individual personalities and career objectives. All the colleges in the guide also will be featured on the Colleges of Distinction Website.
The guidebook will incorporate multi-page profiles of all selected schools. In addition, a group of college presidents, "academic deans, faculty, enrollment managers, high school parents, and high school and college students will contribute a substantial introduction describing the importance of the four criteria.
The colleges and universities listed in the guidebook include schools from every area of the country. Their average student-faculty ratio is 13-to-1, and most have an average class size of around 20. The schools vary in size from universities of 7,000 to small liberal arts colleges of 1,000 or fewer students.
Alma College has a student-faculty ratio of 13-to-1 and an average class size of 16. The College enrolls 1,215 students.
The guidebook's first printing will exceed 100,000 books.
-mjs-
Posted: Sat, January 27th, 2007 at 12:03AM
