Carson-Newman No. 9 in the nation for 2015 says Washington Monthly

(August 24, 2015)– Carson-Newman University is ranked No. 9 among the nation’s baccalaureate colleges, says Washington Monthly magazine in its 2015 rankings released today.

The University is the only Tennessee school to be named in the top 10 of the “Baccalaureate Colleges” category.

It is the fourth year in a row the University has been recognized in the publication’s Top 10. It is also the second year in a row the publication ranked Carson-Newman No. 2 in the country in its “Community service participation and hours served” category. The University was also cited as a “Best Bang for the Buck,” No. 51 among all colleges and universities, coming in ahead of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

“As you can imagine, we are very pleased to be recognized by Washington Monthly, once again, as a Top 10 school among all baccalaureate colleges,” said Carson-Newman President J. Randall O’Brien. “The Carson-Newman experience is one that continues to garner national attention.

“Our faculty and staff’s mission of helping students reach their full potential as servant-leaders continues to be the heartbeat of this special place; and it’s not going unnoticed.“

The University’s ROTC program also moved up to No. 6 among all baccalaureate schools.

Carson-Newman’s net price was the second lowest among the Top 10 institutions at $14,850.

“Anchoring our coverage are our annual college rankings, in which we chuck the U.S. News-validated idea that the “best” schools are the ones that spend the most money, exclude the most students, and impress a small circle of elites,” said Washington Monthly editors. “We think that those criteria have helped lead the higher education system down its current ruinous path.”

The editors explained how Washington Monthly’s rankings criteria are superior to U.S. News & World Report’s college rankings. “Instead, we rank four-year colleges in America on three measures that would make the whole system better, if only schools would compete on them.” They cite that basing rankings on three primary criteria of social mobility (recruiting and graduating low-income students), research (producing cutting-edge scholarship and PhDs), and service (encouraging students to give something back to their country),” provides a truer glimpse into a school that benefits its students.

Since May, Carson-Newman has been recognized by the organization Colleges of Distinction and was named a “Best in the Southeast” by Princeton Review.

For more information:

Washington Monthly full “Baccalaureate Colleges” rankings:
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/college_guide/rankings-2015/baccalaureate-colleges-rank.php

For more on Washington Monthly’s Methodology: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/magazine/septemberoctober_2015/features/a_note_on_methodology_4year_co_4057197.php

Carson-Newman University is a private, Christian liberal arts institution. Founded in 1851, Carson-Newman is located in Jefferson City, Tennessee, among the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. The University offers 50 undergraduate majors, as well as bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees.

Founded in 1969, Washington Monthly is a bimonthly nonprofit magazine covering politics, government, culture and the media.