Three Vermont State Colleges (VSC) are among the 100 most affordablesmall colleges in the United States. Lyndon State College (55th), Johnson State College (61st),and Castleton State College (85th) were each listed as one of America’s 100 Most AffordableSmall Colleges by Best Value Schools for providing innovative academic offerings, small classsizes, and good value for the investment.
Best Value Schools’ list of Most Affordable Small Colleges focuses on traditional four-yearcolleges enrolling under 4,000 undergraduate students and excludes community colleges,graduate schools and specialized schools. Best Value Schools is an online resource that gathersand disseminates information about college cost and value to students and parents.
“I don’t put too much stock in these kinds of rankings, but earning this distinction will helpVermonters recognize the great value our Vermont State Colleges offer,” said VSC ChancellorJeb Spaulding. “It is impressive that all three of our four-year state colleges made the top 100.These rankings single out our four-year colleges as national leaders in affordability and quality.”
Regarding Lyndon State College, Best Value Schools reports that “people apply to LSC for anumber of reasons, whether it’s the cozy and accepting campus community, the innovative First-Year Experience for incoming freshmen, or the academic resource center that keeps all studentson track.”
Johnson State College is “ideal for New England residents who love the outdoors but don’t wantto feel isolated from the ‘real world;’ the mountainous region surrounding the campus featuressix ski resorts but is just a short drive from Burlington, Boston, and Montreal. More than half ofthe student body lives on campus, taking classes with just 15 people. Outside of the classroom,JSC attendees participate in extracurricular activities, cheer on varsity sports teams, and visit amassive library holding more than 110,000 volumes.”
Castleton State College “currently holds prestigious Carnegie Foundation CommunityEngagement Classification, and it encourages students to engage with their surroundings throughartistic, philanthropic, and athletic pursuits. CSC’s wide array of undergraduate majors giveyoung adults the opportunity to explore unique majors in Athletic Training, Ecological Studies,Sports Administration, and Women and Gender Studies, in addition to all the more traditionalliberal arts options.”
The full report can be found at: bestvalueschools.com/most-affordable-small-colleges-america-2015/
Vermont's state colleges include Castleton State College, Community College of Vermont,Johnson State College, Lyndon State College and Vermont Technical College. The Office of theChancellor is in Montpelier.