U.S. News Again Lists Centenary College Among South's Top 10 in "America's Best Colleges" Survey and at No. 7 Among South's "Best Values"

SHREVEPORT, LA—For the 14th consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report lists Centenary College of Louisiana among "America's Best Colleges." For the third consecutive year, Centenary is at No. 10 in the South in the listing of "Best Universities-Master's," tied this year with The Citadel of South Carolina.

Centenary is listed among the Top 33 Southern universities-master's, based on 15 measures of excellence, in the magazine's Sept. 1, 2003 issue and in the 2004 edition of the U.S. News guidebook, America's Best Colleges. The magazine became available on newsstands Aug. 25.

In its issue the following week (Sept. 8), the magazine ranked Centenary No. 7 among the top 15 "Best Values" among Universities-Master's in the South in an article entitled "Great Deals at Great Schools."

To determine its "Best Colleges" rankings, U.S. News & World Report looks at colleges' academic reputation, retention rate, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, graduation rate performance, and alumni giving. The separate list of “Best Value” schools relates a school's academic quality, as indicated by its U.S. News ranking, to the net cost of attendance for a student who receives the average level of financial aid.

Centenary President Kenneth L. Schwab said the listings and other national recognition continue to emphasize Centenary's reputation for excellence, an outstanding student body, faculty and staff, and a student-centered environment.

Founded in 1825 and the nation's oldest private liberal arts college west of the Mississippi River, Centenary is a selective college that encourages leadership, citizenship and community service. The college offers 43 majors in its Natural Sciences, Social Sciences and Humanities divisions.

Other Louisiana schools named to the "Best Colleges" list for the South were Loyola University, ranked sixth, and Xavier University of Louisiana, ranked 31st. Both are located in New Orleans. Loyola was also listed among the "Best Values," at No. 12.

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