“We rank liberal arts colleges based on their contribution to the public good in four broad categories: access, affordability, outcomes, and promoting public service.”
On a personal note, W&L’s commitment to service was a big draw for D21. The Poverty and Human Capability Studies minor and Shepherd Program* were tremendously influential parts of her time at W&L.
(The Shepherd Higher Education Consortium on Poverty (SHECP) began in 1998 as the Shepherd Poverty Alliance. It was founded at Washington & Lee University and allied with Berea College and Spelman College. The Alliance incorporated as SHECP, an independent nonprofit in 2013, and since then, has grown into a consortium of colleges and universities that provides coordinated internships, coursework, and co-curricular support. A list of Member schools can be found here.)