The unresolvable issue is who is number one, number 12, or even number 20. Well, we do care about the connection between merit and reputation. Objective, detached judgments help us live up to our standards. U.S. News considers us a very good regional college in part because of certain key indicators, including the percentage of alumni who contribute to the annual fund, the student-faculty ratio, and our retention rates. Widespread alumni support is a sign that the college has done its job well, and that our graduates show their appreciation.
Small classes impress people who rate colleges, as do high retention percentages.
We are showing improvements in all areas. We do not rely upon magazines to tell us how we are doing. Berry is evaluated every decade by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. SACS, as the association is called, looks closely at all elements of the college and demands satisfactory compliance with hundreds of criteria that are spelled out in a long handbook. Satisfying SACS is no easy matter.