Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine recently ranked Temple at No. 94 in its 100 Best Value in Public Colleges for 2011.
According to Kiplinger’s website, the ranking was judged on “strong academics, affordable price and generous financial aid.”
“I chose Temple because of its great art program and urban setting,” said freshman art major, Jessica Wolfert. “And if I choose to change my major, I easily can without transferring somewhere else.”
Wolfert added that she chose Temple for its inexpensive price and great academics.
The 100 universities were chosen out of more than 500 public universities. Schools were ranked by student-faculty ratios, affordability, admission and retention rates, overall academic quality and four- and six-year graduation rates.
According to Kiplinger.com, prospective students need to look into colleges “that deliver an outstanding, affordable education in good times and bad.” Many public school colleges are highly ranked as offering a great education at a low price.
Ian Welham, a New Jersey-base, certified college-funding adviser and co-founder of CompleteCollegePlanningSolutions.com added the Kiplinger list shows prospective students the total net cost of college, not just the so-called “sticker cost.”
In the 2007-2008 rankings, Temple was not present in the top 100 list. In Kiplinger’s 2009-2010 issue of top public universities, Temple was also ranked the 94th best valued public university.
From 2002 to 2008, Temple University’s graduation rate rose from 47 to 65 percent.
Richard Englert, provost and interim senior vice president for academic affairs at Temple University, said students choose Temple University for its diversity, academic quality and its array of available programs.
Other Pennsylvania universities which ranked among the 100 best valued colleges included Bloomsburg University, Pennsylvania State University, University of Pittsburgh, West Chester University and Millersville University.
Maura Lieberman can be reached at maura.lieberman@temple.edu.
Monetary field must deal with its public preception.