Bay Path climbs in 'best colleges' ranking

Date: 8/23/2010

Aug.23, 2010

By Debbie Gardner

Assistant Managing Editor

LONGMEADOW -- Bay Path College has once again been ranked among the best colleges in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.

The magazine's annual September issue ranking "America's Best Colleges," available on newsstands Aug. 24, listed the Longmeadow-based school 27th in the Northeast region, four places above its spot in the 2009 list.

This is the seventh year the four-year school, which has a student population of 2,000 spread across three Massachusetts-based campuses -- Longmeadow, Sturbridge-Charlton and Burlington -- has garnered a spot in the top tier listing of colleges with the publication.

"We were thrilled with the notification that we were in the top tier and, more importantly, that we had moved up in ranking," Bay Path President Dr. Carol Leary, said.

Leary credited the college's focus on "strategic planning over the past few years" for Bay Path's consistent stellar showing in the prestigious list, which, according to press materials provided by the college, ranks schools by using 15 indicators to "help consumers evaluate and compare data compiled from more than 1,400 accredited four-year schools." U.S. News bases its evaluation criteria on categories developed by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

"I believe we have truly tried to provide a quality education at an affordable value for a private college. That is what we've strived for," Leary said. "We are very innovative but at the same time we are very fiscally responsible to keep the tuition and room and board as low as possible for a private college."

The college works to make education affordable by providing competitive financial aid packages for all qualified students. It also gives 100 percent of new, full-time students a guaranteed scholarship or grant.

Beyond attention to fiscal responsibility, Leary said Bay Path has "had three vision plans, each five years in length, to set the course for the college so we can provide a college education that focuses on the total student education experience both in and outside the classroom."

Noting that 70 percent of the undergraduate students on the Longmeadow campus are "first generation," and 25 percent "students we consider diverse," Leary said the college's culture stresses not only academics but also an emphasis on community service through a variety of projects, beginning shortly after each year's class of freshmen arrive on campus.

"It sends a message that ... receiving a college education is a privilege and because of that, it's important to give back," Leary said.

The college's focus also stresses leadership development through various on and off-campus programs and a hands-on introduction to the effects of globalization and "where the world is going" through opportunities for national and international travel and student study exchanges.

Founded in 1897, Bay Path College offers undergraduate degrees for women at its Longmeadow campus, graduate degrees for men and women in Longmeadow and its satellite campuses and graduate degrees and certificates through Bay Path Online.