KNOXVILLE — College students and their families know very well the value of a dollar.
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, does too, and provides strong educational value for every tuition dollar, according to The Princeton Review‘s “150 Best Value Colleges for 2012” list released today.
The list ranked UT among the seventy-five best values in public higher education, and for the first time, noted UT’s commitment to diversity and civility.
The Princeton Review ranks American colleges based on undergraduate academic quality, affordability, and availability of financial aid for its annual “Best Value” list. The seventy-five public and seventy-five private colleges and universities were selected from more than 650 institutions in the US.
“We work very hard to be good stewards of our resources by delivering a high-quality education in as efficient a manner as possible,” said Chancellor Jimmy G. Cheek. “We are proud to be included in the ‘Best Value’ list again this year.”
This year’s “Best Value” rankings described UT as offering students “the great program diversity of a major university,” opportunities for research or original creative work in every degree program, and “a welcoming campus environment” with “a great sense of unity” and acceptance of diversity. The profile also noted that need-based and merit-based scholarships “are plentiful” for those who apply.
Tennessee’s lottery-funded Hope Scholarship covers nearly half of a student’s tuition and fees. Almost all entering Tennessee freshmen at UT qualify for a Hope Scholarship, and continue to receive the funds as long as they maintain required grade point averages.
UT has significantly increased its funding for need-based scholarships during recent years. These funds are provided in addition to Hope funds. The Pledge Scholarship is available to students whose family’s annual gross income is $40,000 or less. The Promise Scholarship is available to students in Tennessee high schools who historically have been under-represented among the UT student body. Each of these scholarships cover essentially all the costs of tuition, fees, and books.
The Princeton Review is an educational services company known for its test-prep courses, university admission services, and its annual college, business, and law school rankings.
The “150 Best Value Colleges for 2012” rankings are available at www.usatoday.com/news/education/best-value-colleges.
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C O N T A C T :
Charles Primm (865-974-5180, charles.primm@tennessee.edu)