Shorter College and Berry College were both ranked among the top schools in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.

Shorter College is ranked No. 20 on the list of baccalaureate colleges in the South, rising two slots over last year’s placement. This is the eighth consecu-tive year Shorter is among the South’s top baccalaureate colleges. Earlier this month, Shorter was one of 139 schools that received the “Best in the Southeast” designation from The Princeton Review in its 2009 Best Colleges: Region by Region section.

Berry College remained ranked nationwide at 118 among U.S. News & World Report’s liberal arts colleges. Additionally, Berry College was ranked five in a list of “up and coming” colleges compiled by the U.S. News & World Report. Colleges were identified by top college officials nationwide for “promising and innovative changes in academics, faculty, students, campus or facilities.”

Rankings of quality are based on academic reputation, student retention, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, graduation rate performance and alumni giving rate.

(ROME NEWS TRIBUNE)