U.S. News and World Report’s 2019 Best Colleges Rankings recently named Berry College #1 for Best Value and #2 for its strong commitment to undergraduate teaching among regional universities in the South.

The “value” calculation used takes into account a school's academic quality, and the net cost of attendance for a student who received the average level of need-based financial aid. The higher the quality of the program and the lower the cost, the better the deal. Only schools ranked in or near the top half of their categories are included, because U.S. News considers the most significant values to be among colleges that are above average academically.

“At Berry, we integrate academic studies with eight semesters of paid professional development opportunities,” said Berry College President Steve Briggs.   “Students work every semester with trusted mentors to refine their personal goals and evaluate their own improvement.  This mindset of meaningful learning and resourcefulness prepares Berry graduates for a lifetime of personal and professional success.”

The Best Undergraduate Teaching ranking asked college presidents and other top academics to name the schools that they think have faculty with an unusually strong commitment to undergraduate teaching. The ranking focuses on schools where faculty and administrators are committed to teaching undergraduate students in a high-quality manner. Berry focuses on providing students a network of advisors and guides who become lifelong resources.

U.S. News also ranked Berry #4 overall and #10 for Most Innovative Schools among regional universities in the South. Berry students are known for their creative minds and ability to adapt to new situations.

“I founded my first business as a sophomore at Berry College in 2005, and it was only through the support of my professors that it made it off the ground,” said Jeff Jahn, CEO of Web development firm DynamiX. “Nearly 15 years later we are one of the most recognized and awarded companies in our space, and many of those professors are still cheerleaders for my company. Their willingness to work outside of the mold is what allowed me to stay in college while owning a business and supporting a full-time person’s salary. I simply couldn’t ask for a better college experience!”