Aquinas also ranked among Midwest "Best Universities - Masters"

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GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. (Friday, August 22, 2008) — U.S. News & World Report (USN&WR) has selected Aquinas College as one of the top 15 "Best Values" colleges among Midwest universities offering master's programs. According to the 2009 edition of USN&WR's America's Best College rankings released today, Aquinas was placed 13 among the top 15 in "Best Values" and ranked 55 of 67 in the "Best Universities - Master's" in the Midwest.

Rankings from the latest edition of America's Best Colleges were officially released today. Highlights of the college rankings will be published in the September 1 issue of U.S.News & World Report.

Placement on the "Best Values" list relates to a school's academic quality to the net cost of attendance for a student who receives the average level of need-based financial aid, according to USN&WR. Aquinas figures show that 76 percent of its students receive need-based grants, reducing their net cost of attending to $14,108.

Aquinas also is ranked 55 among 67 institutions ranked among the "Best Universities-Masters" in the Midwest. USN&WR measured 572 higher education institutions across the United States using more than a dozen key measurements in identifying its list of top schools for each region of the country in this category.

USN&WR's rankings are compiled based on an exhaustive survey of colleges and universities across the nation. Using a multitude of criteria – including student retention rate, graduation rate, student/faculty ratios, and average alumni giving – USN&WR publishes detailed rankings of the colleges each fall.

USN&WR says its rankings list is designed to provide parents and students with a starting point in the college decision-making process. It believes the information contained in the report offers the opportunity to judge the relative quality of institutions based on widely accepted indicators of excellence. Further, USN&WR encourages families to combine the information contained in the rankings with college visits and interviews in identifying the right school for college-bound students.