SHREVEPORT, LA-Centenary College may be small, "but it's big in some unexpected places," says the latest edition of Barron's Best Buys in College Education.
Centenary is among nearly 300 colleges that "give students and parents the best value for their education dollar," said author Lucia Solorzano.
The Centenary profile notes that the college " 'plays' with the big boys as its athletic teams compete in NCAA Division I," and also thinks "big" in terms of graduation requirements. Centenary expects, it said, "that each of its students will complete both a community service project and participate in at least one experience of living and learning in another culture."
Centenary's reputation for an outstanding faculty and personal attention to students was highlighted. The book states: "But best of all, say students, Centenary views its undergraduates as individual members of a single, big family that requires plenty of attention … Centenary's faculty are instrumental in making the family feeling work."
The listing is the latest in a number of national rankings for Centenary, including the "No. 1 Best Value" among the South's regional institutions in U.S. News and World Report earlier this month.
In its "Bottom Line," section, Barron's says that to succeed at Centenary, students must want to belong to a nurturing community that works to make its members feel important. It quotes a junior, who said, "Centenary's biggest asset is that everyone knows everyone. But its worst flaw is that everyone knows everyone." They sum up the profile by saying, "At Centenary, you can work and have fun, but you can't remain anonymous."
Barron's Best Buys in College Education will be available in bookstores for $14.95.
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