<p>Noticed that the 2014 Forbes college rankings are out. I'm not a huge fan of these lists, but I can't help looking. Looks like Whitman did well again, moving up to the number 2 ranked LAC in the West (behind Pomona but moving ahead of Harvey Mudd) and moving up to 23rd (from 27th I think last year) in US liberal arts colleges. Here is what Forbes writes...not a very insightful look at Whitman...but hey, any publicity is good publicity I guess.</p>
<p>Forbes: 7/30/2014</p>
<p>"Williams College in Williamstown, MA, replaces California’s Pomona College as No.1 in this year’s top 25 best liberal arts schools. Some significant changes: While Washington and Lee University has dropped from No.7 to No.15, Haverford College has jumped from No.17 to No.6. Other schools that have moved up in the ranking include Carleton College, Barnard College, and Wesleyan University.</p>
<p>While Bryn Mawr College, Hamilton College, Harvey Mudd College and Union College have dropped off the top 25 ranking, four newcomers join the list: Ohio’s Kenyon College, Oregon’s Reed College, Washington’s Whitman College and Smith College in Massachusetts. Kenyon has over 50 majors, minors, and concentrations in 18 departments and offers 13 interdisciplinary programs.</p>
<p>Reed College is known for its highly intellectual—and countercultural—students and relaxed administration. Reed also operates the nation’s only undergraduate-managed nuclear reactors and is a leading Ph.D. program feeder school. Whitman College features a tradition of “pinging” which requires a person to stand in between two pillars on a specific part of campus and slightly slap one’s hand against the column, creating a unique sound. Smith College is an all-female college and a member of the Five Colleges Consortium with Amherst, Mount Holyoke and Hampshire colleges and the University of Massachusetts, Amherst."</p>