Elmhurst College Highly Ranked in Latest College Studies

Submitted by Elmhurst College.

Several high-profile national media rankings have once again named Elmhurst College among the best colleges around, in areas that are top of mind with students and families: educational value for tuition dollars, meaningful campus experience, and proven record of preparing students for successful careers and lives.

On Money magazine’s nationwide list of Best Colleges For Your Money, Elmhurst College ranks in the top 4 percent of the country’s nearly 3,000 four-year colleges and universities. And Forbes magazine, the Princeton Review and Niche.com place Elmhurst among the top colleges in Illinois and the Midwest.

Elmhurst jumped to No. 121 this year (from No. 166 last year) on Money’s rankings, which focus on colleges and universities that “deliver the most value—that is, a great education, at an affordable price, that helps students launch promising careers.”Money selected the 736 most successful colleges and universities from the country’s total of 2,968, then ranked them on educational quality, affordability and outcomes, or how well graduates have done.

Focusing on affordability, Money also considered levels of merit aid awarded, parent and student borrowing, the length of time to graduate, tuition increases and other measures. Elmhurst students spoke highly to Money about the College’s “beautiful campus, friendly students” and small class sizes.

In this year’s Forbes magazine rankings, America’s Top Colleges, Elmhurst places among the top 15 in Illinois. The Forbes list of 650 schools emphasizes what a student gets out of college rather than what it takes for a student to get into a college.

The Forbes list, like the Money list, includes schools ranging from small liberal arts colleges to huge public universities. Forbes analyzes data regarding student satisfaction with their classes; post-graduate success, in terms of not only alumni salaries but also how many alumni become leaders, influencers and innovators; student debt; graduation rates; and academic success, or how often students win prestigious scholarships and fellowships, and whether they pursue doctoral studies.

For the 12th year in a row, Elmhurst College has been named one of the Princeton Review’s “Best in the Midwest” schools. Students in this ranking describe Elmhurst as “the perfect blend of big city access and small (but not too small) campus atmosphere.” They also said the College offers “great financial aid” and “endless opportunities for scholarships, mentorships, internships, research, and so much more.”

Elmhurst College also ranks among the top colleges in Illinois on Niche.com’sBest Colleges and Universities list, which ranks 892 colleges and universities based on 50 statistics and 12 million ratings from 300,000 students. Elmhurst also has been selected a 2015-16 College of Distinction for “its ongoing commitment to student engagement, great teaching, vibrant community and successful outcomes.” Colleges of Distinction excel at “providing a teaching-centered undergraduate education that combines innovative learning programs with experiential educational opportunities.” All classes at Elmhurst are taught by professors, not teaching assistants. The average class has 17 students, and the student-faculty ratio is 13 to 1.

Elmhurst College is a leading four-year college that seamlessly blends liberal learning and professional preparation to educate the whole student for life in a global society. Approximately 3,200 full- and part-time students are enrolled in its 25 undergraduate academic departments and more than 15 graduate degree programs.