Now more than ever, MWC's high academic standard is widely acknowledged. Mary Washington continues to be recognized as one of the nation's best small colleges by such authoritative publications as U.S. News and World Report, Barron's Profiles of American Colleges, The Fiske Guide to Colleges, and The Princeton Review.
Several factors contribute to the institution's excellence.
Foremost among these are the expertise and commitment of the faculty. Members of the faculty are energetically engaged in productive research and scholarship leading to the advancement of their disciplines. At the same time, however, it is teaching that is their primary goal and purpose. Teaching effectiveness is enhanced by small class size, which encourages personal interaction between faculty and students. Moreover, faculty devote much attention to students' concerns beyond the classroom, working closely with them on matters of academic, career, and personal development.