New College of Florida Is No. 7 on Kiplinger’s Top 100 Best Value Public Colleges

December 28, 2012 — New College of Florida has been recognized once again as a top value in America by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine, placing seventh on the list of 100 best values in public colleges for 2012-13. This marks the 10th consecutive year that New College has placed among the nation’s top 20 public colleges overall on Kiplinger’s list of schools delivering a stellar education at an affordable price. Kiplinger’s ranked New College No. 5 in 2012 and No. 11 in 2011.
To determine the ranking each year, the editors at Kiplinger’s Personal Finance narrow down a list of nearly 600 public four-year schools to about 130 schools based on SAT or ACT scores, admission and retention rates, student-faculty ratios, and four- and six-year graduation rates. The editors then rank each school based on cost and financial aid, though academic quality carries more weight than costs.
With a 10-to-1 student/faculty ratio, the 832 students currently enrolled at New College chart their own learning in close consultation with faculty mentors through independent study and thesis work in addition to courses. The 2012-13 incoming class entered New College with average SAT scores between 1783 and 2100 (out of 2400), and 52 percent of New College’s 2012 graduates completed their degrees with no debt.
“We applaud this year’s top 100 schools for their efforts to maintain academic standards while meeting the financial needs of their students,” said Janet Bodnar, editor of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance.
The annual public school rankings appear in Kiplinger’s February 2013 issue and online at kiplinger.com/links/college.