Hope College is included in the annual rankings of the best values among private institutions, according to the annual rankings by Kiplinger's Personal Finance.

The publishers says the listing recognizes colleges and universities that deliver a high-quality education at an affordable cost. Hope is ranked 68th out of the 200 in the rankings. Every college and university in the country was evaluated.

"Hope College placed in the top 200 because of a high four-year graduation rate, low average student debt at graduation, good student-to-faculty ratio, excellent on-campus resources and overall great value," according to the publisher.

A year ago Hope was ranked 77th. There are only two other private Michigan institutions in the rankings, Hillsdale College and Kalamazoo College.

Kiplinger has recognized Hope College and Holland in other ways. In 2006 Holland was cioted as one of 50 "Smart Places to Live". Those rankings emphasized criteria including affordability of housing, low cost of living, quality health care, a low crime rate, weather, education, cultural amenities, transportation and economic vitality.

Each year, Kiplinger's assesses quality according to measurable standards, including the percentage of students who are admitted out of those who applied, the test scores of incoming freshmen, the ratio of students to faculty members, and the four- and five-year graduation rates. This year, Kiplinger adjusted its criteria to better reflect the issues affecting families. Now, the rankings give more weight to the four-year graduation rate - a measure of the college's ability to deliver academic support and of the overall cost to families--and to colleges that keep student debt down. While the criteria have shifted, the focus on value remains the same. Many of the schools on the top 200 list have appeared in Kiplinger's rankings in previous years, demonstrating that these schools consistently deliver good value.

"The institutions on Kiplinger's rankings for best value in private colleges represent schools that provide high-quality academics as well as affordable cost even in these tough times," said Jane Bennett Clark, Senior Associate Editor for Kiplinger's Personal Finance. "With money tight and the college choice so important, you have every reason to expect the best bang for your buck."

For nine decades, the Kiplinger organization has led the way in personal finance and business forecasting. Founded in 1920 by W.M. Kiplinger, the company developed one of the nation's first successful newsletters in modern times. The Kiplinger Letter, launched in 1923, remains the longest continuously published newsletter in the United States. In 1947, Kiplinger created the nation's first personal finance magazine. Kiplinger.com is the fastest growing Web site in the personal finance space.

The rankings are available at
http://www.kiplinger.com/reports/best-college-values/

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