UMHB Ranks in Top Tier in US News & World Report's America's Best Colleges

08/25/09

UNIVERSITY OF MARY HARDIN-BAYLOR RANKS IN THE TOP TIER IN
U.S.NEWS & WORLD REPORT'S ANNUAL AMERICA'S BEST COLLEGES

Washington, D.C. - August 21, 2009 - UNIVERSITY OF MARY HARDIN-BAYLOR, in Belton, once again earned a top tier ranking among Universities-Master's West category in the 2010 edition of America's Best Colleges by U.S.News & World Report, one of the nation's leading sources of service journalism and news. The exclusive rankings will be published in the magazine's September issue, on newsstands on August 20, and available online at www.usnews.com/colleges today.

UMHB moved up in their overall ranking to 32 compared to 45 last year. The university has remained in the tier-one ranking since 2005.

"U.S. News & World Report's rankings measure many factors, such as retention rates, student-to-faculty ratios, and percentage of full time-faculty with terminal degrees, which are important to us and which we monitor closely," said Dr. Randy O'Rear, president of the university.

"While this report is only one way in which students and parents may evaluate our success in serving our students and in achieving our goals, we nonetheless are pleased to see that UMHB continues to garner this national recognition," said O'Rear.

Over the past 26 years, the U.S. News college rankings, which groups schools based on categories created by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, has grown to be the most comprehensive research tool for students and parents considering higher education opportunities. The America's Best Colleges ranking package, which includes extensive editorial content and multimedia resources, has helped families navigate the difficult decisions involved throughout the college process, from college admission and selection to financing options.

In addition to the new list, U.S. News offers an extensive resource of ranking and college information on USNews.com, which hosts the new Advanced Search feature, enabling students and parents to search for colleges based on specific criteria, such as region, cost and financial aid, student body makeup, student activities, sports offered, and more. The site also features additional interactive tools designed to help students and parents navigate through the college selection process, including:

• Guide to Admissions: Comprehensive information on the college admissions process.

• College Click Videos: 2,000 videos offering candid advice on over 150 colleges & universities.

• Interactive College Calendar: Provides important regional and nationwide events and deadlines.

The 2010 America's Best Colleges package provides the most thorough examination of how more than 1,400 accredited four-year schools compare on a set of 15 widely accepted indicators of excellence. Among the many factors weighed in determining the rankings, the key measures of quality are: peer assessment, graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, alumni giving, and graduation rate performance (National Universities and Liberal Art Colleges).
For more information about America's Best Colleges, visit www.usnews.com/colleges. To access the Premium Online Edition, go to www.usnews.com/usnews/store/products/college_index.htm

About the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor
The University of Mary-Hardin Baylor is a four-year private Christian university offering bachelor's degrees, master's degrees and a doctoral program in education. For more than 160 years, UMHB has provided a personalized approach to education to help students prepare for exceptional careers and lives. The focus at UMHB is on the student. Enrollment at the university this fall is expected to be around 2,700 students, with a student-to-teacher ratio of 14 to 1. Faculty and staff are committed to helping students develop intellectually, ethically, emotionally, spiritually, and socially.