Hiram is among top colleges

Staff report

HIRAM

Hiram College is again among the top colleges in the nation for value and excellence in the liberal arts, according to several national publications.

U.S. News & World Report, Washington Monthly, Princeton Review and Forbes all ranked Hiram College among the nation’s and region’s top liberal arts institutions in 2015-16 annual rankings.

Washington Monthly, for the third year in a row, named Hiram a “Best Bang for the Buck,” recognizing the college’s success in graduating students who go on to earn enough to pay off their student loans, high graduation rates and good value for “net” price.

Washington Monthly also named Hiram College one the best liberal-arts colleges in the nation based on social mobility (graduating low-income students), research and service. In individual categories, Hiram ranked 44th in the nation for social mobility and 52nd for student participation community service.

The Princeton Review, which seeks student input and anecdotes in compiling its annual rankings, named Hiram College among the “Best in the Midwest.” Hiram students praised the inclusive campus culture, small class sizes and mentoring relationships with faculty.

“Hiram is a gentle mix of athletes, artists and scientists, and everyone gets along and respects what others are capable of doing,” the publication reported based on student submissions. “Undergrads here love how involved all of the professors are into guiding the students through not just classes and majors, but future plans and career paths and praise the ‘big-school opportunities in a small-school environment.’”

Forbes, which ranks colleges based on student satisfaction, postgraduate success, student debt and graduation rates, named Hiram one of America’s Top Colleges 2015 in its rankings released in July.

U.S. News & World Report released its annual college rankings Sept. 9, naming Hiram one of the top national liberal-arts colleges, based on undergraduate academic reputation, retention, faculty resources, selectivity, financial resources, graduation rate performance and alumni giving rate.