New College Peace Poles

Soon to be appearing on Brethren College Campuses, the Emergency Peace Poles combine the traditional peace pole with a modern campus neccessity.

US News College Rankings

More College Rankings

Bridgewater College General Information Private institution Year founded: 1880 Religious affiliation: Church of the Brethren Academic calendar: 4-1-4 Undergraduate student body: 1,403 Setting: Rural Fall 2005 Admissions Application deadline: Rolling Application fee: $30 Selectivity: Selective U.S. News Ranking Liberal Arts Colleges, fourth tier 2004-2005 Expenses Tuition and fees: $17,990 Room/board: $8,480

Elizabethtown College General Information Private institution Year founded: 1899 Religious affiliation: Church of the Brethren Academic calendar: Semester Undergraduate student body: 1,975 Setting: Suburban Fall 2005 Admissions Application deadline: Rolling Application fee: $20 Selectivity: More selective U.S. News Ranking Comprehensive Colleges–Bachelor's (North), 2 2004-2005 Expenses Tuition and fees: $23,710 Room/board: $6,600

Juniata College General Information Private institution Year founded: 1876 Religious affiliation: Church of the Brethren Academic calendar: Semester Undergraduate student body: 1,396 Setting: Rural Fall 2005 Admissions Application deadline: March 15 Application fee: $30 Selectivity: More selective U.S. News Ranking U.S. News ranking: Liberal Arts Colleges, 101 2004-2005 Expenses Tuition and fees: $24,320 Room/board: $6,770

University of LaVerne General Information Private institution Year founded: 1891 Religious affiliation: Church of the Brethren Academic calendar: 4-1-4 Undergraduate student body: 1,396 Setting: Suburban Fall 2005 Admissions Application deadline: February 1 Application fee: $50 Selectivity: Selective U.S. News Ranking National Universities, third tier 2004-2005 Expenses Tuition and fees: $21,500 Room/board: $8,510

Manchester College General Information Private institution Year founded: 1889 Religious affiliation: Church of the Brethren Academic calendar: 4-1-4 Undergraduate student body: 1,153 Setting: Rural Fall 2005 Admissions Application deadline: Rolling Application fee: $20 Selectivity: Selective U.S. News Ranking Comprehensive Colleges–Bachelor's (Midwest), 33 2004-2005 Expenses Tuition and fees: $18,060 Room/board: $6,710

McPherson College General Information Private institution Year founded: 1887 Religious affiliation: Church of the Brethren Academic calendar: 4-1-4 Undergraduate student body: 436 Setting: Rural Fall 2005 Admissions Application deadline: Rolling Application fee: $25 Selectivity: Selective U.S. News Ranking Comprehensive Colleges–Bachelor's (Midwest), third tier 2004-2005 Expenses Tuition and fees: $14,645 Room/board: $5,620

Our interpretation...

• oldest school: Juniata (1876)
  
• largest / smallest student body: 1,975 / 436
  
• variance in tuition (between cheapest and most expensive): $9,675
  
• cheapest to get into: Manchester
  
• most expensive / affordable room and board: $8,510 / $5,620
  
• LaVerne is now affiliated with the COB

Kudos to ETown, Manchester, and Juniata for making the rankings.

Source: US News

Princeton Review

	LaVerne	McPherson	Manchester	Bridgewater	Elizabethtown	Juniata
Admissions Selectivity Rating:	89	74	65	78	77	93
Religious Affiliation:	No Affiliation	Church of Brethren	Church of Brethren	Church of Brethren	Church of Brethren	Church of Brethren
Average SAT:	1001	Not Reported	1015	1022	Not Reported	1168
Average ACT:	20	Not Reported	22	20	Not Reported	Not Reported
Tuition:	$21,500	$13,830	$17,950	$26,470	$28,800	$23,720
Enrollment:	1,383	353	1,106	1,369	1,766	1,396
Female/Male Ratio:	63:37	44:56	55:45	55:45	65:35	56:44
White/Ethnic Ratio:	36:64	79:21	86:14	88:12	92:8	93:7
Freshmen Returning for Sophomore Year:	88%	61%	74%	74%	84%	86%
Freshmen Graduating in 4 years:	31%	35%	41%	54%	62%	68%
Freshmen Graduating in 6 years:	50%	45%	56%	59%	70%	75%
Total applicants who are accepted:	56%	68%	79%	88%	70%	75%
Total of accepted students who enroll:	36%	33%	39%	32%	28%	32%
Rating:	Best in the West		Best in the Midwest	Best in the Mid-Atlantic	Best in the Mid-Atlantic	Best in the Mid-Atlantic; #14 Best Bargains - Private
Average freshman total gift aid:	$16,878	n/a	$13,516	$11,346	n/a	$15,078
Academic Rating:	90	n/a	78	72	85	92
Student/faculty ratio:	9:1	9:1	14:1	14:1	12:1	13:1
Full-time faculty:	105	36	68	88	126	93
Full-time & part-time faculty with PhDs:	40%	55%	72%	66%	55%	80%
Quality of Life Rating:	94	n/a	90	90	91	90
Fire Safety Rating:	8	0	0	12	0	13
Students living on campus:	37%	0%	74%	76%	84%	85%
Athletic division:	Division III	Division II	Division III	Division III	Division III	Division III

Our analysis:

• Smartest students: Juniata
• Worst students: Bridgewater (we're giving McPherson the benefit of the doubt)
• Priciest: Elizabethtown
• Cheapest: McPherson
• Best place to meet sisters: Elizabethtown
• Best place to meet brothers: McPherson
• Palest campus: Juniata
• Easiest to get into: McPherson
• Most selective school: Juniata
• But they're most likely to go to: Manchester
• Brightest faculty: Juniata
• Dimmest faculty: LaVerne
• Least likely to burn down: Juniata
• Why is LaVerne considered a Brethren University?

Actual student quotes:

• Sometimes the level of political diversity can cause antagonism.
• They preach diversity a lot around here, but when you look around the classroom you see mostly white, middle-class students.
  
• Our professors just rock. They teach brilliantly without being stuffy and keep office doors wide open.
  
• There does tend to be quite a bit of drinking on campus—especially on weekends.
  
• If you're someone who lives in a more culturally diverse area, you may find it difficult to adjust to the vanilla flavor of the school.
  
• My largest class may have been around 30 people.
  
• We're out in the middle of nowhere, right smack in the middle of cow pastures.
  
• Amicable but homogenous
• Everyone is compatible, and if they're not, the campus isn't SO small that you can't avoid people.
  
• Don't come here if you want to be lazy and do nothing but party.
  
• The students that are not into nightlife are not frowned upon by the other students.
• Let's just say there is always something to do if you look hard enough. Life here is good.
  
• There is not much diversity.
  
• You will never attend a class where the professor's home telephone number isn't listed for students to call for any help they need.
  
• Drinking is big.
• It's a small town, but fun can be found.
  
• very diverse socially, physically, mentally, spiritually, and culturally.
  
• is great for face-to-face personal relationships
  
• a really chill school for those who enjoy a small community and a generally relaxed life.
• Don't come here if you are looking for a wild party school—you will be bored out of your mind.
• It is not very loud with wild obnoxious people running around.

source: Princeton Review

McPherson's Football in Jeopardy

A gambling scandal has rocked McPherson, news sources reported this week. While the scandal may have repercussions for the McPherson College's recruiting, they can always fall back on the PR they garner from their ties to the Tonight Show's Jay Leno.

College Rankings

The Princeton Review annually ranks colleges across the country in several categories. Each of their rankings will give you an unbiased and uncensored view of each school profiled. They can guarantee that their candid profiles will seldom be found in any admissions office glossy view book. The important thing to remember is that each ranking is based on what the real experts, current college students, tell the Princeton Review about their schools. What could be more useful to students choosing a college than the opinions of current students?

Their list of the top party schools recently garnered a lot of press coverage. And, while none of the Brethren affiliated colleges made that particular list, one of them made it to the top 20 of a couple of their other lists. Juniata College ranks 8th on the "homogeneous student population" list and 14th on the "alternative lifestyles not an alternative" list.

As a service to our readers, the GM staff have gleaned the Princeton Review statistics for the Brethren schools and done some ranking of our own.

Most Comfortable Brethren College: Elizabethtown College (% Living on Campus: 85)
Least Comfortable: University of LaVerne (% Living on Campus: 35)

Smartest Brethren Faculty: Juniata College (% of Faculty with PhDs: 81)
Dimmest Brethren Faculty: University of LaVerne (% of Faculty with PhDs: 49)

Most Organized Brethren College: Juniata College (Registered Organizations: 97)
Least Organized: Manchester College (Registered Organizations: 38)
Note: McPherson College numbers for this statistic were not available.

Most Affordable Brethren College: McPherson College (Annual Tuition: $12,500)
Most Expensive: Juniata College (Annual Tuition: $21,160)

Brethren College with the Lightest Reading: Juniata College (Average Annual Book Expenses: $450)
Heaviest Reading: University of LaVerne (Average Annual Book Expenses: $846)

Best Brethren College to Find a Woman: Elizabethtown College (% Mail/Female: 38/62)
Best Brethren College to Find a Man: McPherson College (% Male/Female: 49/51)

Brethren College with the Happiest Freshman: Juniata College (% Freshman Returning for Soph Year: 90)
Least Pleased Freshman: McPherson College (% Freshman Returning for Soph Year: 45)

Most Generous Diploma Mill: Juniata College (% Freshman Graduating in 4 Years: 69)
Stingiest with the Sheep Skins: McPherson College (% Freshman Graduating in 4 Years: 30)

Easiest Brethren College to Get Into: Bridgewater College (Accepted as % of Applied: 87)
Hardest Brethren College to Get Into: Elizabethtown College and McPherson College (Accepted as % of Applied: 69)

Brightest Brethren College Students: Juniata College (% Freshman in Top 10% of HS Class: 39%)
Dimmest Bulbs: McPherson College (% Freshman in Top 10% of HS Class: 7%)

And, for the record, only one of the six schools we looked at does not list any religious affiliation with the Church of the Brethren.