It's a Small University . . .

Late in November, U.S. News andWorld Report got seven full pages out of its survey of 1,308 four-year-college presidents asked to name the nation's highest quality undergraduate schools. About half the presidents surveyed responded to the survey, which set up a five category pecking order for four year liberal arts colleges that grant bachelor's degrees: national universities, national liberal arts colleges, regional liberal arts colleges, comprehensive universities, and smaller comprehensive universities. Sub-categories by region helped increase the overall numbers, as did a section headed "other highly rated schools." While not everybody got mentioned, an astonishing number of institutions 156, all told did, which doubtless warmed the hearts of an equal number of admissions directors.

Somewhat surprisingly, Dartmouth did not appear in the national liberal arts category, in which Amherst College placed first by a healthy margin. Dartmouth appeared as number ten in the national universities pigeonhole, tied for that honor with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Both were cited by 11 percent of the responding presidents. Harvard placed second to Stanford by a narrow margin as "the nation's best major university for undergraduates." Looks like it may be time to go west again, young folks. Of course, the east coast still boasts Dartmouth College. It's a small university yet there are those who love it.