U.S. News & World Report Announces the U.S. News Community College Directory

WASHINGTON, June 24, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- U.S. News & World Report, publisher of Best Colleges, today unveiled the first U.S. News Community College Directory, available exclusively on usnews.com. The new directory, which features listings of nearly 950 community colleges from 50 states, was designed to help the millions of students who hope to pursue a certificate or two-year degree program at a school in their community.

"Community colleges play a crucial role in our higher education system, serving nearly half of all U.S. undergraduates, according to the American Association of Community Colleges," said Anita Narayan, education editor for U.S. News. "We hope the new directory helps all students – whether they are part-time, working mothers and fathers or full-time students hoping to transfer to a four-year institution – identify a college in their community that suits their educational needs."

The Community College Directory features school profiles with information on location, enrollment, financial aid resources and more. A new search tool enables users to find schools by ZIP code or degree program.

To be included in the Community College Directory, a school must hold regional accreditation from one of the six regional accrediting organizations recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. All of the data for each school listed came directly from the U.S. Department of Education's Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, or IPEDS, website.

The Community College Directory is the most recent education resource developed exclusively by U.S. News & World Report. Earlier this year, U.S. News released the first U.S. News/Raytheon STEM Index, the only comprehensive index to measure key indicators of economic- and education-related STEM activity in the U.S. over time. Last November, U.S. News added the Best Colleges for Veterans to its education rankings, which now include the Best Online Programs, Best Graduate Schools and Best High Schools.

"Higher education comes in many different forms – from brick-and-mortar, four-year institutions and online degree programs to two-year, professional certificates," said Chris DiCosmo, vice president of education for U.S. News. "Our education rankings and advice are designed to help all students make informed choices about their educational paths, from high school through graduate school."

About U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is a multi-platform publisher of news and analysis, which includes the digital-only U.S. News Weekly magazine, www.usnews.com and www.rankingsandreviews.com. Focusing on Health, Personal Finance, Education, Travel, Cars and Public Service/Opinion, U.S. News has earned a reputation as the leading provider of service news and information that improves the quality of life of its readers. U.S. News & World Report's signature franchise includes its News You Can Use® brand of journalism and its annual "Best" series of consumer Web guides and publications that include rankings of colleges, graduate schools, hospitals, mutual funds, health plans and more.

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SOURCE U.S. News & World Report