Newberry College had an impressive showing on the 2019 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings released Sept. 10. Newberry appeared on the following lists: 

* Best Regional Colleges in the South (#12) 

* Best Value for Regional Colleges in the South (#3) 

* Schools With the Most International Students (unranked list) 

* Least Debt at Graduation for Regional Colleges in the South (unranked list) 

Newberry jumped five places in the rankings to take over the #12 spot and retain its place in the Top 20 Best Regional Colleges in the South for the second year in a row. 

“Newberry College has invested significant time and effort over the past five years on fostering a more student-centered campus environment,” said Newberry College president Dr. Maurice W. Scherrens. “This incredible jump in the national rankings is directly attributable to the persistence and dedication of our faculty, staff, coaches, students and alumni.” 

In its third consecutive appearance on the Best Value for Regional Colleges in the South rankings, Newberry College moved up four places to the #3 spot in the 2019 rankings. 

“Newberry is committed to providing students with a top-quality liberal arts education that is affordable for students and their families,” said Chris Harris, dean of enrollment management. “With our ability to provide generous financial aid packages and our continued investment in the only student loan repayment promise in South Carolina, a Newberry College education lives up to its ranking in the Best Value category.” 

Recognizing the importance of understanding other cultures and being able to effectively interact personally and professionally within a global society, U.S. News identified institutions with the largest proportion of international undergraduates during the 2017-18 academic year.

On this new list of Schools with the Most International Students for Regional Colleges in the South, the proportion of international students at those schools ranged from 5 to 19 percent of their student populations. At Newberry College, international students comprised 5 percent of the overall student population.

“Being able to introduce our students to a wide variety of cultures makes our small-town college a much more diverse place,” said Newberry College senior and student body president Luke Carraway. “The growing number of international students is an important factor in Newberry’s recent growth and success.”

In Student Debt at Graduation (a category debuted by U.S. News in last year’s 2018 rankings report), Newberry College makes its second consecutive appearance on the Least Debt for Regional Colleges in the South list.

Over the past several years, Newberry has worked to refine its institutional aid matrix to make awards where they would have the greatest impact and placed greater emphasis on moving families through the financial aid application process earlier in the enrollment cycle to ensure the best award package from state, federal, and institutional sources. Additionally, the college is now in its third year with its Loan Repayment Promise, which offers a unique guarantee for after graduation.

“For situations in which a college loan is required, the Newberry College Loan Repayment Promise can help ease concerns with its pledge of support after graduation,” said Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Sid Parrish. “If a student earns less than $40,000 after graduation, Newberry pledges to help the student repay their student loans. This benefit holds great appeal to families for the added peace of mind it offers.”

“It is truly exciting to see the progress we are making as an institution manifest itself in data-driven measures such as national rankings,” said Hap Pearce, Newberry College alumnus and chairman of the Board of Trustees. “I look forward to witnessing all we will accomplish in the years ahead.”