Rice named 3rd best value in June Consumers Digest

Colleges and Universities A-Z Rice University
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<p>Rice No. 3 on Consumer Digest’s top values among private schools
FROM RICE NEWS STAFF REPORTS</p>

<p>Rice University is ranked third on Consumer Digest’s list of the top five values in private universities and colleges in the magazine’s June issue.</p>

<p>The rankings were based on attributes that define each school’s academic quality factored against the annual cost of tuition, fees, and room and board. A formula was used to blend the academic excellence of first-time freshmen at a school (standardized test scores, high-school rank and grade-point average) with the institution's educational quality (four- and six-year graduation rate, student-retention rate and percentage of faculty holding a Ph.D.). The resulting "value index" score was factored with the cost of attendance to determine which schools offered the most academic value per dollar.</p>

<p>The magazine’s editors said financial aid was not factored in because of inconsistencies in the way colleges distribute aid.</p>

<p>The top two slots on the list went to Yale and Princeton, respectively.</p>

<p>The Princeton Review also named Rice University one of the nation's 50 best-value private colleges and universities for 2011. For the past three years, Rice has been No. 4 on the list of best values in private colleges ranked by Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine.</p>