Civilian education kudos

The Princeton Review and U.S. News & World Report single out Columbia College as one of the best colleges in the Midwest and in the nation.

Columbia College has been named a 2010 Best Midwestern College by The Princeton Review, a New York City-based education services company. The college is one of only 158 schools in a 12-state region to receive the "Best Midwestern College" designation. Colleges were selected based on academic excellence and surveys of current students.

The Princeton Review has called Columbia College a "small community with great teachers and lasting friendships" and a college that is serious about "educating the whole person," where academics are bolstered by a "full college experience," and general education requirements ensure that "everyone receives a well-rounded education no matter what one's major is."

And, for the sixth year in a row, Columbia College has been ranked in the top tier of "America's Best Colleges" by U.S. News & World Report.

Columbia College is now ranked 44th in the category of "Best Universities–Master's" for the Midwest Region. This category evaluates institutions that offer a broad scope of undergraduate degrees and some master's degrees, but few, if any, doctoral programs.