'U.S. News' says Penn is a good deal

Financial aid plays key role Students on financial aid have a right to brag that they are getting their money's worth at the University, according to a new magazine survey. In its September 25 issue, U.S. News and World Report placed the University third among Ivy League schools and 15th overall in the country for its "discounted sticker price". The rating was calculated by adding tuition together with room, board, fees, books and estimated personal expenses. The average need-based grant was then subtracted from the figure. Dartmouth College led the Ivy League pack in the eighth spot. Columbia University was ranked one notch above Penn at 14th place. Student Financial Aid Director Bill Schilling said the "best buy" ranking shows that the University is committed to providing quality education. "It reflects the fact that the University aid program continues to try to do as much as possible in order to provide the best possible education for students," he said, adding that his department has been successful in meeting most students' aid needs. "As a result of our financial aid program, we are still reasonably successful in being able to make sure that education is available for all students, regardless of their economic background," Schilling said. The "best buy" rating comes on the heels of the University's number 11 overall undergraduate ranking in last week's issue of U.S. News and its ninth-place rating in the National Research Council's survey of graduate programs. Vice President for Government, Community and Public Affairs Carol Scheman said she feels the latest survey is for the most part a proper assessment of the University's value for tuition dollars. "I believe the rankings reflect Penn's commitment to need-blind admissions," she said. "This enables us to accept students on the basis of their quality. "Need-blind admissions are an important part of the Ivies," she added. "They are enormously prestigious, and as a result of need-blind admissions, we are able to get the best and brightest students in the country." The only schools considered for the U.S. News rankings were those that finished in the top half of the magazine's 1995 university and liberal arts college's quality rankings. Based on the discounted price criterion, the California Institute of Technology ranked number one among national universities for the second straight year.