Ole Miss Named to ‘Best Small Town Colleges’ List

Photo Courtesy UM Communications

The University of Mississippi has been named to the 2015 “Best Small Town Colleges” list by bestcolleges.com, ranking 21 out of 50.

The schools were ranked using the latest information from the Institute of Education Science and College Navigator databases, which are maintained by the National Center for Education Statistics. Schools were judged on their acceptance, retention, graduation and enrollment rates. The latest information is a compilation of data from 2011 through 2013.

By requiring freshmen to live on campus, Ole Miss offers students an abundance of opportunities to connect and get involved in on-campus activities. The first-year retention rate of students during the 2012-13 year was 86 percent for first-year undergraduate students.

The article on bestcolleges.com states that “small town campuses offer a spirit of community that can sometimes escape metropolitan areas,” and “nothing evokes the feeling of the traditional American college experience like a small campus.“

The stated benefits of a small town campus include a tight-knit community, a more personalized education and affordable housing and tuition. The article also suggests that students who attend small town colleges have more opportunities to thrive and stand out among their peers.

The top-ranking school on the “Best Small Town Colleges” list is the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in West Point New York. Other schools on the list include Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, 14; Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas, 16; and Mississippi State University in Starkville, 26.

See the entire list here.