Baylor Named a 2014 Best Value Private College by Kiplinger's Personal Finance

October 17, 2013

Robert Rogers/Baylor Marketing and Communications

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Contacts: Lori Fogleman, 254-710-6275 and Jessica Weeg, 646-695-7043

WACO, Texas (Oct. 17, 2013) - Kiplinger's Personal Finance has included Baylor University at No. 54 on its list of the country's 100 best values in private colleges. Kiplinger's annual list ranks 100 private universities and 100 liberal arts colleges, which appears online at www.kiplinger.com/links/college.

"We are honored to be acknowledged again as a Best Value by Kiplinger's," said Baylor President Ken Starr. "The Baylor experience is distinct in its level of personal attention, spiritual enrichment, academic and athletic excellence, and high-caliber student life programming. We work especially hard to ensure excellence in all we do while also remaining attentive to the cost of a Baylor education. By continuing to increase the level of scholarship support we provide to students, we can preserve the value of a Baylor education for generations to come."

Baylor and the other schools included in the 2014 lists represent the colleges that provide high-quality academics at a reasonable cost during continued tough economic times. The colleges exemplify the attributes parents and students look for in higher education, including small class sizes, a good freshman retention rate and a high four-year graduation rate. Many schools, including Baylor, have appeared on Kiplinger's Best Value list multiple times, a testament to the truly great value these colleges provide, the magazine stated.

Although private schools generally carry higher sticker prices than in-state prices at public schools, private schools can actually be less expensive than public schools because of their generous financial aid. More than 90 percent of Baylor undergraduate students receive some form of financial aid. The University offers several tools, including a Scholarship and Cost Estimator, to assist incoming freshmen and transfer students and their families in estimating academic scholarship eligibility. The tool also can provide a more comprehensive estimate of eligibility for scholarships and other forms of financial aid, including academic and need-based scholarships, grants, work study and loans, based on costs and anticipated financial aid for the 2014-2015 academic year.

"With President Obama's recent emphasis on rating colleges and universities based on their value, our rankings serve as a valuable resource to help students and families make more informed choices," said Janet Bodnar, editor of Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine. "Combining a high-quality education with an affordable price tag is a challenge, but the colleges on this year's list offer the best of both worlds."

Kiplinger's rankings measure academic quality and affordability. Academic criteria include the student admission rate (the number of students accepted out of those who apply), the test scores of incoming freshmen, the ratio of students to faculty members, and the four- and five-year graduation rates. On the cost side, Kiplinger's measures the sticker price, the availability and average amount of need-based and merit-based financial aid, and the average student debt at graduation. 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.

Kiplinger's December issue, which will be on newsstands Nov. 5, includes the top 50 colleges and top 50 universities.

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution, characterized as having "high research activity" by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The University provides a vibrant campus community for approximately 15,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 11 nationally recognized academic divisions. Baylor sponsors 19 varsity athletic teams and is a founding member of the Big 12 Conference.

ABOUT KIPLINGER

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. Located in the heart of our nation's capital, the Kiplinger editors remain dedicated to delivering sound, unbiased advice for your family and your business in clear, concise language. Become a fan of Kiplinger on Facebook or Kiplinger.com and follow Kiplinger on Twitter.