While college rankings are, imo, bogus and designed specifically and almost exclusively to sell media ...magazines, annual publications, videos, newspapers, etc ... and that's why these sources, rather than more appropriate and credible sources assume this task of generating them ...there is at least one list that has some merit.
And Denison U. received the highest ranking among all designated "national liberal arts colleges." And those familiar with the U's philosophies and practices will not be surprised.
On 22 August 2008 U.S.News & World Report published its ranking of colleges and universities providing the most students with the most MERIT aid. In that list, Denison was ranked $9, and the only top tier LAC in the top 10 of this specific list, noting that 51% of enrolled students receive merit scholarship aid. And what lends this some value as a ranking is that it's pure #s, no subjective "what do you think about Podunk U vs. Wannabe College, etc."
At any rate, it would seem that traditional, strong students coming from homes that are neither destitute nor wealthy would want to take a look at this great school located in one of the most attractive of college villages, and within spitting distance (if one's a particularly exceptional spitter
) of a major metro area.
Congrats Big Red! It seems that President Knobel, Finance VP Patton, and the BoTs are providing exceptional and genuinely unique vision and leadership in using University resources to create an attractive and exceptionally capable college community and experience. And a place that is really trying to help families, especially those stuck in the income no-man's-land of the "middle" to afford their children a great experience in absence of either massive personal loans or depletion of retirement and living revenues.
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