UMM Named a Best Value Public College by Kiplinger's Personal Finance

MORRIS, Minn. -- The University of Minnesota, Morris has again been named to the Kiplinger's Personal Finance list of 100 best values in public colleges for 2012-13. The ranking cites four-year schools that combine outstanding education with economic value.

Kiplinger's features colleges and universities that deliver quality education at an affordable price. The low average student debt, financial aid availability, and overall value of Morris distinguished it for inclusion on this year's Best Values list. Morris is one of only two Minnesota schools included on the list--the other being the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. The annual public school rankings appear in Kiplinger's February 2013 issue, on newsstands January 1, 2013. The rankings and additional information are available online.

"Kiplinger's bases its rankings on academics and affordability, two qualities for which Morris is well known," says Bryan Herrmann, director of admissions. "We are honored to be cited as a best value college, and we will continue to work to make a Morris liberal arts education a superb financial value for students."

Morris and the other institutions on the Best Values list were selected from a pool of nearly 600 public four-year colleges and universities. Kiplinger's assesses quality according to a number of measurable standards, including the admission rate, the percentage of returning students, the student-faculty ratio, and the four-year graduation rate. Many schools, including Morris, have appeared on the list multiple times--a testament to the consistent value these colleges provide.

"We applaud this year's top 100 schools for their efforts to maintain academic standards while meeting the financial needs of their students," says Janet Bodnar, editor of Kiplinger's Personal Finance.