Samford University is ranked in the top 100 best values among private universities in the nation in the December 2011 issue of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine, on newsstands Nov. 8.  Samford ranks No. 65 on the Kiplinger’s list as the only Alabama private university included.  The school moved up from No. 80 on last year’s list.

            The list cites schools that combine outstanding quality with affordability, Kiplinger’s said.  It assesses quality according to measurable standards such as the percentage of students admitted out of those who applied, test scores of incoming freshmen, ratio of students to faculty members and the four- and five-year graduation rates.  This year, it also measured a college’s ability to keep student debt down.

            "Samford continues to gain recognition and momentum from ratings and rankings such as Kiplinger's, specifically as it relates to the value of a Samford University educational experience," said Dr. R. Phil Kimrey, Samford's vice president for student affairs and enrollment management.  "Our institution seeks to provide an academically challenging program, at a cost well below many of our private institution peers and the national average." 

            Samford has continued to be ranked high by national publications during recent months.  U.S. News & World Report ranked Samford fourth in the South in its annual rankings released in September.  Earlier, Forbes included Samford in its selection of the top 20 percent of the nation’s undergraduate colleges, and The Princeton Review selected Samford in its list of America’s Best 376 Colleges.

            Samford this fall enrolled a record 4,758 students from 47 states, the District of Columbia and 21 other countries.