U.S. News Media Group Announces America’s Best Colleges: Harvard, Amherst, and Williams Top 2009 Lists

   - '09 edition features new rankings of Up-and-Coming Schools, Guidance

     Counselor Picks, and an interactive student center on USNews.com -



    WASHINGTON, Aug. 22 /EMWNews/ -- U.S. News Media Group today

announced the 2009 edition of America's Best Colleges, marking 25 years

since its inaugural debut. For the first time in 12 years, Harvard

University solely topped the list of Best National Universities, while

Amherst College rose to tie with Williams College for Best Liberal Arts

College. The exclusive rankings, which will feature two new categories,

will be published in the magazine's September 1 issue, on newsstands

Monday, August 25, and available today online at http://www.usnews.com/colleges.



    The U.S. News college rankings, which group schools based on categories

created by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, have

expanded into a multimedia resource for students and parents considering

higher education options. By providing timely, relevant, and useful

information about the college selection process, the U.S. News Best

Colleges package serves as a fundamental resource for those families facing

one of the most challenging financial decisions.



    "With so many students and families relying on the college rankings for

their higher education research, we're always working to find new ways to

demystify the college search," said U.S.News & World Report Editor Brian

Kelly. "This year, we've included new ranking categories and editorial

content that address the most relevant issues to prospective students.

We've also developed an interactive student center on USNews.com, which

allows students and parents to research their college options through

videos, school discussion forums, and expert advice columns."



    The 2009 America's Best Colleges covers the traditional rankings of the

past, notably the Best National Universities, Best Liberal Arts Colleges,

Best Historically Black Colleges, Best College for Your Buck, and A+

Schools for B Students. In this year's edition, U.S. News has significantly

expanded the ranking categories to include:



    -- Up-and-Coming Schools: These colleges and universities have recently

made striking improvements or innovations, demonstrating their focused

effort on improving their performance and looking into the future.



    -- High School Counselor Picks: High school guidance counselors share

their views on undergraduate programs at American colleges and

universities, factoring in each school's academic record, curriculum,

faculty, programs, and graduates.



    In addition to the new rankings, U.S. News offers a wealth of ranking

and college information online -- roughly 100,000 searchable pages -- at

the student center on USNews.com. The site is host to numerous interactive

features designed to help students and parents with the college selection

process, including:



    -- Student Calendar: Visitors can search and add important test and

college admission dates.



    -- Video Gallery: More than 2,000 videos offer candid advice about

colleges & universities.



    -- Video Profiles: 8 Students document their experience throughout the

college admissions process.



    -- School Forums: Students can discuss and share information in each

school's online forum.



    -- Expert Columns: Admissions experts reveal tips for the application

and admissions process.



    The 2009 America's Best Colleges package represents the most

comprehensive look at 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).






                    America's Best Colleges Rankings 2009

           *For full list of rankings, visit http://www.usnews.com/college



       Best National Universities                Best Liberal Arts Colleges

       1. Harvard University (MA)                1. Amherst College (MA)

       2. Princeton University (NJ)                 Williams College (MA)

       3. Yale University (CT)                   3. Swarthmore College (PA)

       4. Massachusetts Institute of             4. Wellesley College (MA)

          Technology                             5. Middlebury College (VT)

          Stanford University (CA)





                          New: Up-and-Coming Schools



       National Universities                     Liberal Arts Colleges

       1. George Mason University (VA)           1. Davidson College (NC)

       2. Clemson University (SC)                2. Ursinus College (PA)

       3. University of Southern California      3. Furman University (SC)

       4. Arizona State University                  Pitzer College (CA)

       5. University of Maryland -               5. Berry College (GA)

          Baltimore County                          University of N.C. -

                                                    Asheville





                     New: High School Counselor Rankings



       National Universities                     Liberal Arts Colleges

       1. Harvard University (MA)                1. U.S. Naval Academy (MD)

          Massachusetts Institute of                Williams College

          Technology                             3. Harvey Mudd College (CA)

          Princeton University (NJ)                 U.S. Military Academy (NY)

          Yale University (CT)                      Wellesley College (MA)

       5. Brown University (RI)

          Columbia University (NY)

          Cornell University (NY)

          Stanford University (CA)

    About the U.S. News Media Group



    The U.S. News Media Group is a multiplatform digital publisher of news

and analysis, which includes U.S.News & World Report magazine,

http://www.usnews.com, and http://www.rankingsandreviews.com. Focusing on Health, Money &

Business, Education, and Public Service/Opinion, the U.S. News Media Group

has earned a reputation as the leading provider of service news and

information that improves the quality of life of its readers. The U.S. News

Media Group's signature franchises include its News You Can Use(R) brand of

journalism and its "America's Best" series of consumer guides that include

rankings of colleges, graduate schools, hospitals, health plans, and more.