W&M featured on 'Today' as a Princeton Review best value
For the second time this academic year, the College of William and Mary has been ranked among the country's top values in public universities. In its 2009 annual college rankings of best bargains, The Princeton Review listed William & Mary third among its top public universities.
"It's always satisfying when kind things are said about William & Mary," said President Taylor Reveley. "William & Mary does provide an education of extraordinary caliber for far less money than other schools of comparable caliber. We're delighted that The Princeton Review agrees."
Thursday's announcement came with an added bonus - national television exposure. The "Today" show, NBC's popular morning show, ran a full segment with co-host Meredith Vieira on The Princeton Review rankings - including a feature on William & Mary. The segment, which included video footage of faculty and students on campus, gave special recognition to the College and its place as one of the country's No. 3 best value. The set was also decorated in colors from a number of the top universities, including a green and gold pennant from William & Mary. The rankings were also highlighted Thursday in USA Today. The country's largest newspaper partnered with The Princeton Review this yearto present the rankings.
William & Mary was one of two Virginia schools among the top three
public schools -- the University of Virginia claimed the top spot.
Swarthmore College was ranked the country's best value among private
colleges. The Princeton Review, known for its college guidebook and
test preparation services, ranked the top 50 public and top 50 private
universities. The rankings, based on surveys of administrators and
students, focused on a combination of factors such as academics, cost
and financial aid.
Thursday's
news comes on the heels of several other rankings this academic year
highlighting the College, including an announcement in October that
Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine listed William & Mary as
fifth among its top 100 public universities that combine "outstanding economic
value with top-notch education." The College was featured on
Kiplinger's Web site with an audio slideshow and online tour of William
& Mary as a "best value."
In August, William & Mary was
listed 32nd overall and sixth-best public university, according to U.S.
News & World Report's annual ranking of undergraduate programs.
Earlier in August, the College was ranked 49th overall - based on a
different methodology - by Forbes magazine. In July, Forbes also ranked
Virginia as the country's best state for business. Virginia topped the
Forbes list, according to the article, in part because of "top colleges
like the University of Virginia and William & Mary." In July, The
Princeton Review also ranked William and Mary and its Swem Library
eighth in the category of "Best College Library." In October, Financial
Times ranked the William & Mary's Mason School of Business'
Executive MBA program as one of the top 100 programs in the world. The
program ranked 41st among U.S. schools and 94th worldwide.
Thursday
was also the second time this academic year that William & Mary was
mentioned on the Today show. In September, co-host Matt Lauer and
television personality Al Roker came to town for a special show
featuring Colonial Williamsburg. When hundreds of William & Mary
students, faculty, staff and alumni arrived to greet them, Roker
mentioned the College several times during the show and even donned a
Tribe baseball cap.
