The newly released U.S. News & World Report poll rated 12 Presbyterian Church (USA)-related colleges as among the 106 “Best Liberal Arts Colleges” in the nation.

Of the twelve schools, Davidson (NC) College was ranked highest, at the twelfth on the list.

Others on the “Best Liberal Arts Colleges” list are Macalester College (MN), #27; Lafayette College (PA), #32; Centre College (KY), #42; Rhodes College (TN), #47; Agnes Scott College (GA), #53; College of Wooster (OH), #59; Austin College (TX), #70; Hanover College (IN), #90; Presbyterian College (SC), #93; Coe College (IA), #105; and Lake Forest College (IL), #106.

There were 11 total schools among the top 50 liberal arts colleges that identified themselves as “church-related.” Of those, five were Presbyterian.

The U.S. News and World Report ranks have been oft-criticized for its standard in voting; however, the poll is still the most widely used by parents and students in making the future educational choices.

The following is a brief summary of how PC(USA) colleges fared on the specific categories used by the Report to judge the ranks, as compiled by PC(USA)’s media personnel Jerry L. Van Marter:

Seven schools were rated among the best schools in their region: Arcadia University (PA), Mary Baldwin College (VA), Queens University of Charlotte (NC), Warren Wilson College (NC), Trinity University (TX), Whitworth College (WA) and Westminster College (UT).

The “Best Comprehensive (undergraduate) Colleges” list included 15 PC(USA) schools: Grove City College (PA), Wilson College (PA), Maryville College (TN), Davis & Elkins College (WV), Belhaven College (MS), Peace College (NC), Johnson C. Smith University (NC), Stillman College (AL), Pikeville College (KY), Millikin University (IL), Illinois College (IL), Buena Vista University (IA), Carroll College (WI), College of the Ozarks (MO) and Rocky Mountain College (MT).

The University of Tulsa was named among the “Best National Universities,” defined as schools that offer a wide range of undergraduate majors as well as master’s and doctoral degrees.

Four Presbyterian schools — Agnes Scott College (GA), Bloomfield College (NJ), Belhaven College (MS) and Missouri Valley College (MO) — were recognized for the diversity of their student bodies, and five PC(USA) schools were noted for their percentage of international students: University of Tulsa (OK), Macalester College (MN), Lake Forest College (IL), Agnes Scott College (GA) and Eckerd College (FL).

Nine Presbyterian schools were recognized for having outstanding programs in certain areas that contribute to student success: Warren Wilson College (NC) — internships and service learning programs; Eckerd College (FL) and Maryville College (TN) — first-year experiences; College of Wooster (OH) and Davidson College (NC) — undergraduate research and creative projects; and Arcadia University (PA) and Macalester College (MN) — study abroad.

And 16 PC(USA) colleges and universities were rated as “best values”: Agnes Scott College (GA), Buena Vista University (IA), Centre College (KY), Grove City College (PA), Hanover College (IN), Lafayette College (PA), Lake Forest College (IL), Macalester College (MN), Maryville College (TN), University of the Ozarks (AR), Rocky Mountain College (MT), Trinity University (TX), Westminster College (UT), Whitworth College (WA), Wilson College (PA), and the College of Wooster (OH).