<p>I believe this is a recent update. Unlike USNews, I think WaMo designates each year’s poll with that year’s date (i.e., 2013’s rankings will be published next year, not this year).</p>
<p>The only consistent thing seems to be a desire on the publisher’s part to mix up the contestants a bit from year to year, thus New College Florida and Knox College make visible advances. Little Three rivals Williams, Amherst and Wesleyan finish about in the order you would expect them to; Bates and Hamilton are the next NESCAC members after a big drop, and Middlebury and Bowdoin after even bigger drops.</p>
<p>Wesleyan gets a big lift from its science research; the only LACs that come close seem to be HBCUs and Wellesley; and, you can see how it affected Pomona, driving it from the 8th spot overall last year to #26: [Liberal</a> Arts College Rankings 2012 | Washington Monthly](<a href=“http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/college_guide/rankings_2012/liberal_arts_rank.php]Liberal”>http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/college_guide/rankings_2012/liberal_arts_rank.php)</p>