LAKELAND, Fla. (Aug. 17, 2007) — Florida Southern College jumped to 5th-place position among the nation’s Best Baccalaureate Colleges in the South in the college rankings published today by U.S. News & World Report. This is the first time in the history of the rankings that Florida Southern has ranked in the top five. The College also moved up to 4th place in the magazine’s  “Best Value” category.

For its Best Baccalaureate Colleges rankings, U. S. News & World Report rates institutions in the areas of student quality, graduation and retention rates, faculty quality, class size, and alumni giving, among other criteria. The publication defines baccalaureate institutions as those that focus on undergraduate education and offer a range of degree programs in the liberal arts and in professional fields such as business, education, and  nursing.

U.S. News determines its Best Value ranking using a formula that relates a school's academic quality, as indicated by its U.S. News ranking, to the net cost of attendance for a student who receives the average level of need-based financial aid. The higher the quality of the program and the lower the cost, the better the value.

About Florida Southern College
Founded in 1885, Florida Southern College is a private, comprehensive United Methodist-affiliated college with a liberal arts core. The College maintains its commitment to academic excellence through 46 undergraduate majors and distinctive graduate programs in business administration, education, and nursing. Florida Southern has a 14:1 student/faculty ratio; is a national leader in engaged learning; boasts 26 NCAA Division II national championships; and is ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the Top 10 Southern Comprehensive Colleges-Bachelors and is included in The Princeton Review’s “366 Best Colleges” guide. The College is committed to the development of the whole student through vibrant student life programs that prepare graduates to make a positive, consequential impact on society. Located on scenic Lake Hollingsworth, Florida Southern is home to the world’s largest single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture.