Centenary earns "A" grade for financial health from Forbes Magazine
SHREVEPORT, LA — Centenary has received another "A" for financial health from Forbes Magazine in its annual "America's Top Colleges" ranking released July 7. For the ninth consecutive year, the College was also included in Forbes's list of "Best Private Colleges" and "Best Colleges in the South."
"Centenary is one of only 111 colleges nationally to be ranked in the A range by Forbes, and is also the only private institution in Louisiana to receive an 'A' grade," says Fred Landry, Vice President for Development at Centenary. "We're very proud that the College has been recognized for the prudent financial management that allows us to consistently deliver outstanding academics and a great value for our students and their families."
Forbes analyzed data from 2013 and 2014, the two most recent fiscal years provided by the U.S. Department of Education, to determine its Financial Grade measure of nearly 900 private, not-for-profit institutions. The grades measure the financial health of colleges like Centenary on the basis of several components, including broad categories such as balance sheet strength, operational soundness, and admission yield. The detailed methodology is available at Forbes.com.
Partnering with the Center for College Affordability and Productivity (CCAP), Forbes considers student satisfaction, post-graduate success, student debt, graduation rate, and academic success in its general "Top Colleges" ranking methodology. In an article explaining the "Top Colleges" philosophy and methodology, Forbes writer Caroline Howard explains that the magazine's ranking of 660 American schools "distinguishes itself from competitors by our belief in 'output' over 'input'…Our sights are set directly on ROI: What are students getting out of college?"
Centenary students have enjoyed a 90% acceptance rate to medical schools and an 80% acceptance rate to law schools over the past five years, and over 82% of the student body has had at least one international educational experience. These measurable outcomes have played a role in the College's consistent presence among Forbes's "Top Colleges."