Top Private College Values 2011-12: Best Bragging Rights

We measure a college's cachet by two criteria: admission rate (the number of students who are accepted out of those who apply) and yield (the number of students who enroll out of those accepted).

We measure a college's cachet by two criteria: admission rate (the number of students who are accepted out of those who apply) and yield (the number of students who enroll out of those accepted).

A low admit rate indicates that the school is highly competitive. A high yield means that most admitted students find the school desirable enough to make it their first choice. Colleges accept, on average, two-thirds of applicants, according to the National Association for College Admission Counseling; the average yield is 41%.

Schools that convey serious bragging rights, as defined by our criteria, not only put your student among other outstanding students but are also likely to be viewed favorably by prospective employers, potentially delivering a return on your investment for years.

Here are the ten top private universities and liberal arts colleges that scored highest in both value and bragging rights.

Jane Bennett Clark
Senior Editor, Kiplinger's Personal Finance
The late Jane Bennett Clark, who passed away in March 2017, covered all facets of retirement and wrote a bimonthly column that took a fresh, sometimes provocative look at ways to approach life after a career. She also oversaw the annual Kiplinger rankings for best values in public and private colleges and universities and spearheaded the annual "Best Cities" feature. Clark graduated from Northwestern University.