UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AND FIVE PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS NAMED TO "AMERICA'S 100 BEST COLLEGE BUYS"

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. --- The University of Arkansas is the sole public institution in the state named to the 2001-2002 edition of America's 100 Best College Buys.

Also named are five private institutions in Arkansas: Harding University in Searcy, Hendrix College in Conway, John Brown University in Siloam Springs, Lyon College in Batesville, and Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia.

"This publication focuses on colleges and universities that offer the increasingly rare combination of high quality education at comparatively low cost," said UA Chancellor John A. White. "Our selection provides evidence that the taxpayers of Arkansas are being well-served by the University of Arkansas."

America's 100 Best College Buys is published by Institutional Research & Evaluation, Inc., an independent research and consulting organization headquartered in Rome, Ga.

Last spring, the company conducted its 11^th Annual National College Survey. The survey form was submitted to directors of admissions of 1,488 accredited four-year, residential U.S. colleges and universities. Of those surveyed, 1,101 schools responded and 100 were selected.

To be considered for the top 100, an institution must:

1. be an accredited, four-year institution offering bachelor's degrees;
2. offer residence halls and dining services;
3. have an entering freshman class in fall 2000 with a high school grade point average and/or SAT/ACT score equal to or above the national average for entering freshmen.
4. have out-of-state cost of attendance in 2001-02 for three quarters or two semesters below the national average cost of attendance, or not exceeding the national average cost by more than 10 percent.

The average cost of attendance (tuition and fees plus room and board) for the University of Arkansas was $8,334 for in-state students and $13,892 for out-of-state students.

For the UA's fall 2000 freshman class, the average high school grade point average was 3.52 (on a 4.0 scale). The average SAT score was 1148 (of a possible 1600) and the average ACT score was 25 (of a possible 36).

Nationally, the average scores for fall 2000 freshmen were 1019 on the SAT and 21 on the ACT, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education.

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Roger Williams or Jay Nickel, University Relations, 479-575-5555