Purdue in Princeton Review's top 150 'best value' colleges

February 7, 2012  


WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University is listed among the Princeton Review's 150 "best value" colleges for 2012, released Tuesday (Feb. 7).

The education services and test-prep company says the list, which appeared in USA Today, "is considered a guide for prospective college applicants to seek out the best value for their money."

The listing is based on an analysis from surveys conducted from fall 2010 through fall 2011. The top 10 public and private "best values" are ranked; the rest are listed alphabetically.

It is the second time this academic year that Purdue has been recognized for being a good value. In August, SmartMoney magazine ranked Purdue seventh nationally in its college "payback" survey, which quantified the long-term value of a college degree.

"This survey is more evidence that Purdue is a tremendous value," said Timothy D. Sands, executive vice president for academic affairs and provost. "Our students obtain an excellent education at a reasonable price. That's why we're attracting the best students."

Schools on the best value list were selected based on surveys of administrators and students at more than 650 public and private colleges and universities. Selection criteria included more than 30 factors in academics, costs and financial aid.

Robert Franek, Best Value Colleges lead author, told USA Today that value is about more than just "a low sticker price. The commitment has to be much deeper than that."

Tuition at Purdue for the 2011-12 academic year is $9,478 for in-state students and $27,646 for out-of-state students. The average SAT score for current Purdue freshmen is 1,325 on the critical reading, math and writing sections.

The Princeton Review summary says, in part, "When people think of Purdue University, what usually comes to mind is its outstanding engineering and agricultural programs, but students pursuing other degrees want you to know there are 'many other prestigious majors.' "

"Regardless of your major, 'Purdue prepares students to be leaders by helping them grow personally and professionally during their collegiate years through a combination of strong academic programs, leadership opportunities and social activities.' 'It provides one-of-a-kind experiences in research, professors and organizations.' "

Other universities in the state included in the "best value" survey are DePauw University, Hanover College, Indiana University and the University of Notre Dame. In addition to Purdue and Indiana, other Big Ten universities ranked include the University of Illinois, University of Michigan, University of Minnesota, Northwestern University and Ohio State University.
     
Writer: Greg McClure, 765-496-9711, gmcclure@purdue.edu

Source: Timothy Sands, 765-494-9709, tsands@purdue.edu

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