What the U.S. News Rankings Won't Tell You: WhatWillTheyLearn.com Responds to Public Demand for Focus on Education and Value

WASHINGTON, Aug. 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Just before U.S. News & World Report releases its annual survey of "America's Best Colleges," the American Council of Trustees and Alumni will unveil the results of its 2011 "What Will They Learn?" college rankings. The rankings, which will be available for free at WhatWillTheyLearn.com, will grade more than 700 universities on education—not reputation. ACTA's focus on education has received much praise and The Wall Street Journal called it "admirable."

Most of the schools researched do not require economics, U.S. government or history, literature, or intermediate-level foreign language classes. Substantial numbers do not require college-level math, science, or composition. Only 16 schools receive an "A," and their average tuition is $13,200. The average tuition at the more than 100 "F" schools is $28,200.

ACTA concludes that universities have on the whole abdicated their responsibility to direct students to the most important subjects they will need for success after graduation, while continuing to charge a premium.  A published report aggregating the data for the more than 700 schools will be sent to trustees of the institutions covered, as well as Governors and educational policymakers in the states. 

WHAT: Press conference at the National Press Club to unveil the 2011 WhatWillTheyLearn.com college rankings.

WHO: Mel Elfin, founding editor of U.S. News & World Report's college rankings who endorses the initiative, and Anne D. Neal, president of ACTA.

WHEN: Monday, August 16, 2010, 10:00 a.m. (breakfast at 9:30)

WHERE: First Amendment Room, National Press Club, 529 14th Street, NW, 13th Floor, Washington, DC

RSVP/QUESTIONS: Jose Herrera, [email protected], 202-507-4619

The American Council of Trustees and Alumni is an independent non-profit dedicated to academic freedom, academic quality, and accountability. Since its founding in 1995, ACTA has counseled boards, educated the public and published reports about such issues as good governance, historical literacy, core curricula, the free exchange of ideas, and accreditation in higher education. For further information, visit www.goacta.org.

SOURCE WhatWillTheyLearn.com