Westmont in Top Tier of U.S. News Rankings

Westmont is in the top tier among the nation’s best liberal arts colleges according to U.S. News & World Report’s “America's Best Colleges, 2009 Edition.” Of the nation’s 265 liberal arts colleges, Westmont ranked in a four-way tie at 111. This is the fourth straight year the college has ranked in the top tier.

Only seven other liberal arts colleges in California are ranked in the first tier: Pomona, Claremont McKenna, Harvey Mudd, Scripps, Occidental, Pitzer and Thomas Aquinas Colleges.

Westmont is just one of three top liberal arts colleges among the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU) and the only one in California to be included in the top tier.

Joyce Luy, dean of admission, says Westmont’s rankings are even more impressive when you consider the fierce competition, history, tradition and wealth of the other liberal arts colleges

“It’s a privilege and an honor for a young college such as Westmont to be ranked so high,” Luy says. “It’s not a perfect ranking system, though, and I encourage students, parents and counselors not to base their college choice solely on this.” Luy suggests college-bound students also consider their potential relationships with faculty, spiritual development and community involvement.

Westmont’s overall score moved up two points to 50, with improvement in peer assessment, percentage of classes under 20, percentage of full-time faculty, SAT test scores and acceptance rate.

Orientation for first-year students and their parents begins Thursday, Aug. 28, and classes for all students begin Monday, Sept. 1.