SUNY New Paltz has made Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine’s list of the “100 Best Values in Public Colleges” for 2015. This list recognizes academic quality and affordability. The ranking marks another consecutive year in which SUNY New Paltz has made the list — the first time being in 2000. New Paltz ranked number 60 on the annual list, among 10 other SUNYs.
“The most important part of this is third party validation, somebody who has no particular interest other than putting us on an accurate list,” David Eaton, vice president of enrollment management said. “There is no vested interest for the magazine besides telling the truth and in that regard we appreciate being on the list.”
According to Eaton, the methodology behind being in the top 100 in a magazine like Kiplinger’s, which is usually from the perspective of a business person, is that the value proposition is the highest possible quality at the most reasonable price for the level of quality being received.
“I don’t think for most families in America anymore, public or private colleges are particularly affordable. Everyone has a little stretch,” Eaton said. “New York has held tuition at fairly modest levels in comparison to national average.”
For the students of colleges which have made this list, Eaton said it confirms that they made the right financial choice in their decision to attend such a school while also increasing the value of their degrees because their college has been featured in a prestigous magazine.
According to Kiplinger magazine, the schools selected for the list are based upon their possession of the following attributes: competitiveness, graduation rates, academic support, student indebtedness and cost and financial aid.
“In New York our graduation rates as a university and retention rates are higher than the national norm,” Eaton said. “New Paltz happens to be in the top order of SUNYs, the quality is what draws in bright and motivated students.”