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US News & World Report puts Beloit College among best schools

BELOIT — Beloit College is mentioned in U.S. News & World Report's rankings of "Best Colleges," released Thursday.

The magazine rated Beloit College in these categories:

-- Best national liberal arts colleges—tied for 63rd in this list of the top 239 liberal arts colleges nationwide.

-- Best undergraduate teaching—ranked No. 6 on a list of 18 liberal arts colleges recognized for strong commitment to teaching, based on ratings by administrators at regional peer institutions.

-- Cost—placed 38th on a "best value" listing of 40 liberal arts colleges. The ranking is based on academic quality and cost of attendance.

-- High school counselors' esteem—placed 99th out of 257 liberal arts colleges selected by high school counselors as offering the best undergraduate education.

-- Study abroad—included on a non-ranked list of colleges and universities recognized for their commitment to "substantial academic work abroad for credit … and considerable interaction with the local culture." Also on a list of colleges and universities with the most students studying abroad.

-- "B" students—included in a non-ranked listing of 75 national liberal arts colleges where "B" students have a "decent shot of being accepted and thriving."

-- International students—9 percent of the student body is from abroad, placing Beloit on a list of national liberal arts colleges that enroll the most international students.

-- Class size—on a list of national liberal arts colleges with the highest proportion of classes with fewer than 20 students.

-- Retention—recognized for high freshman retention rate with a rate of 88 percent.

-- Ethnic diversity—on a list of national liberal arts colleges with the most ethnic diversity.

-- Economic diversity—on a list of liberal arts colleges with the most students receiving Pell Grants, at 23 percent of undergraduates receiving the federal grants, which typically are given to students with family incomes under $20,000.