Rankings provide external recognition of internal measures

To prospective students and their families, Whitman is known for offering a rigorous and collaborative liberal arts education that extends beyond the classroom. They know that the college attracts students who represent the Whitman mosaic – down-to-earth, high achievers with diverse interests.

“We hope families find the information in the rankings useful, and that our current students, staff, faculty and alumni take pride in the external recognition they bring,” said Whitman President George Bridges. “The rankings reflect Whitman’s many academic and co-curricular strengths and, specifically, the unique and effective ways in which our faculty and staff deliver an exceptional education in the liberal arts and sciences. However, the level to which a Whitman education profoundly benefits the intellectual and personal development of our students and how effectively Whitman prepares students for their lives as adult learners or career professionals cannot be fully portrayed through the rankings.”

Here is a summary to date of the 2011-12 rankings:

US News & World Report
The editors selected Whitman for inclusion in the “College Road Trip” feature, calling the college a “Hands-On Experience and reporting that “The campus always seems in motion…” This year Whitman is ranked No. 42 (along with five other schools) out of 252 liberal arts colleges in the nation.

The Princeton Review
Whitman is featured in the 2012 edition of The Princeton Review’s “The Best 376 Colleges,” rated a “Best Value” college and is included on four of the publication’s Top-20 lists:
Best Health Facilities – No. 2 in the nation
Class Discussions are Encouraged – No. 14
Lots of Race/Class Interaction – No. 18
Professors Get High Marks – No. 19

The Fiske Guide
The Fiske Guide to Colleges 2012 selected Whitman for inclusion in the guidebook, which reports that colleges featured are “selected with several broad principles in mind, beginning with academic quality,” according to the publisher.

Campus Pride
Whitman is one of 33 schools to receive a perfect five-star-rating from Campus Pride, a national non-profit organization that works to create safer, more LGBT-inclusive colleges and “build future LGBT leaders. Campus Pride’s Campus Climate Index takes into account answers by students, faculty and staff to highly detailed, comprehensive questions assessing LGBT-friendly policies, programs and practices.”

Forbes lists Whitman at No. 7 in the West, No. 33 among all private colleges in the nation, and No. 36 overall on its “America’s Top Colleges” list.

Newsweek
Newsweek – ranks Whitman No. 14 in the nation for “Artistic Students,” based on the percentage of Whitman students majoring in visual or performing arts (11 percent).

Washington Monthly
Based on measures related to social mobility, research and service, Washington Monthly ranks Whitman No. 42 in the nation in its College Guide.

Unigo
The college resource site Unigo, which gathers input from college counselors and enrolled college students, includes Whitman on its list of “Hidden Gems,” defined as “Schools where the education supersedes the recognition.”

Kiplinger's Personal Finance

The 2011 edition of Kiplinger's Personal Finance ranks Whitman No. 31 on its list of 200 “Best Values in Private Colleges.” The ranking is based on a high four-year graduation rate, low average student debt post-graduation, good student-to-faculty ratio, excellent on-campus resources and overall great value, according to the report. Best value schools “combine outstanding quality with affordability.”