Mississippi College Excels in U.S. News & World Report

Celebrating its 190^th anniversary, Mississippi College continues to excel in “U.S. News & World Report” rankings.

MC is tied for 31^st when the magazine rates the South’s leading regional universities. Factors like academic quality, first-year retention and graduation rates plus the strength of the faculty are all measured in the survey at schools nationwide.

Among the South’s top regional schools, the 5,133-student Christian university is tied with Converse College of South Carolina, Longwood University of Virginia and Western Kentucky University.

MC charges $16,740 per-year in tuition and fees, and that’s a pretty affordable cost for a private university, school leaders say.

Getting a solid ranking in “U.S. News & World Report” backs up what MC leaders are saying about America’s second oldest Baptist college.

The ranking shows “our commitment to certain quality indicators which are valued,” such as class size, average ACT scores for freshmen, retention rates and seeking national accreditations, says Mark Hughes, dean of enrollment services.

MC offers 83 undergraduate academic programs and 63 graduate areas of study at an affordable price, he noted.

In addition, Mississippi College receiving approval as a full member of NCAA Division II and the Gulf South Conference is helping the university attract quality student-athletes from across the nation and other countries, Hughes said.

Mississippi College senior Megan Cole, 21, of Carriere says the latest rankings in “U.S. News & World Report” are well-deserved.

The survey speaks to a vibrant institution that benefits because of its size. “People come to MC looking for a smaller community that is very heart-warming and comfortable,” says Cole, editor of the “Mississippi Collegian,” the student newspaper on the Clinton campus.

A Christian Studies major, Megan is never far away from friends and family at Mississippi College. Her younger sister, Crislyn Cole, 20, is a biology major at the university. Medical school is likely to come next for the MC junior.

Mississippi College also ranks high as an institution catering to the needs of military veterans. MC ranks 23^rd among the South’s regional universities in that category in the September “U.S. News & World Report.”

This fall, MC reported an uptick in other key measuring sticks. The average ACT score for freshmen rose slightly to 24.5 at Mississippi College.