Coker in Washington Monthly Top 100 for Fifth Straight Year

HARTSVILLE, SC – Washington Monthly’s September-October issue has ranked Coker College No. 63 among the baccalaureate colleges in the nation that contribute most to the public good. This marks the fifth consecutive year Coker has been ranked in the magazine’s top 100.In addition, this year Coker College was also ranked as No. 5 out of 288 colleges in the Southeast region (and No. 1 among South Carolina institutions) on Washington Monthly’s 2015 “Best Bang for the Buck” list. These rankings recognize schools that provide economic value by offering an excellent educational experience at an affordable price. Washington Monthly determines which schools are the best value based on “net” (not sticker) price, how well they do graduating the students they admit, and whether those students go on to earn at least enough to pay off their loans.

“It’s gratifying to be recognized again by Washington Monthly, both for how our students contribute to the world and for how we provide value to our students,” said Coker College President Robert Wyatt. “At the start of a new year—with 300 new Cobras just beginning to write their Coker stories—this is a refreshing reminder of what our faculty, staff, and students work so hard to accomplish.”

To measure contribution to the public good, Washington Monthly ranks schools based on three broad categories: Social Mobility (recruiting and graduating low-income students), Research (producing cutting-edge scholarship and Ph.D.s) and Service (encouraging students to give something back to their country). This year, 344 colleges were included on the list.

Of the various measures that contributed to the overall rankings, Coker’s rank in several areas once again elevated the institution to the top tier: research expenditures (No. 45), community service (No. 47), and academic and administrative support of community service (No. 35).

Coker’s unique four-year program, Trans4mations, builds community service and study away opportunities into each student’s educational experience. Combined with a distinctive round-table learning philosophy and a highly personalized environment, Coker helps students discover how to use their personal talents to succeed and contribute to society. In addition, with one-on-one financial aid consultation and personalized career counseling throughout all four years, students receive excellent value for their investment.

For more information about Washington Monthly’s 2015 rankings, visit:

• http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/college_guide/rankings-2015/baccalaureate-colleges-rank.php
• http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/college_guide/rankings-other-college-guide/best-bang-for-buck-southeast-rank.php

Release written by Director of Institutional Identity Laura Hoxworth.

Coker College

Coker College is a student-focused, private liberal arts college located in Hartsville, South Carolina. Coker combines round table, discussion-based learning with hands-on experiences to encourage active participation in and out of the classroom. A supportive, close-knit community prepares Coker students with the confidence and practical life skills they need to reach their personal best, in college and beyond.Founded in 1908, Coker is a bachelor’s and master’s degree-granting institution and competes in 19 NCAA Division II sports. Coker is ranked among the “Best Colleges” in the South by U.S. News & World Report as well as The Princeton Review, and by Washington Monthly as No. 5 for value among colleges in the Southeast region.