KIPLINGER’S RANKS WESTMONT AS A TOP COLLEGE

Kiplinger’s Personal Finance has ranked Westmont among the top 100 liberal arts colleges in its annual list. The report, which named Westmont No. 83, features colleges that provide high-quality academics at a reasonable cost. The rankings will appear in Kiplinger’s December issue and are available online now at www.kiplinger.com/links/college.

Westmont is one of eight liberal arts colleges in California to make the list and the only California member of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU) to be included.

Westmont scored well in several attributes that parents and students look for in higher education, including small class sizes, a good freshman-retention rate, and a high four-year graduation rate.

Although private colleges generally carry higher sticker prices than in-state public schools, Silvio Vazquez, Westmont dean of admission, says private schools can actually be more affordable because of their generous financial aid. “Eighty-five percent of Westmont students receive financial aid,” he says. “And what’s more, 76 percent of Westmont students graduate in four years, while the national six-year graduation rate is only 57 percent. This translates to a lower cost in the long run, on- time graduation and the ability to begin their careers or graduate school right away.”

Last month, the U.S. News and World Report ranked Westmont in the top 100 best liberal arts colleges for the fifth straight year. In August, Princeton Review listed Westmont as one of the Best Western Colleges, giving it the top academic ranking among the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities.