LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ -- U.S. News and World Report has again ranked Rider University in the top tier of northern colleges and universities according to its exclusive annual rankings. U.S. News also placed Rider fourth in value among regional universities in the north when taking into account Rider's quality and price discounted by financial aid. The national magazine reported the value rankings in its September 23 issue.

According to U.S. News, "Value has become a key factor for many students in selecting a school." Its value ratings are based on an examination of the relationship between the cost of institutions and their quality.

The magazine used as the measure of quality its exclusive rankings that appeared in the September 16 issue and in the 1997 America's Best Colleges guidebook. Only those colleges and universities listed in the top tiers of their categories in the quality rankings were considered for this evaluation. Rider ranked in the top tier of regional universities in the north last year and again this year in the guidebook. Approximately 35 institutions are listed in the top tier of this category.

The U.S. News rankings represent another achievement for Rider in a series of accomplishments over the past few years. In 1993, the College of Business Administration achieved national recognition with the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business accreditation. About 23 percent of business programs in the U.S. hold AACSB International accreditation and only three in New Jersey. Rider achieved university status in 1994. Last year, the College of Education and Human Services and Westminster Choir College's education programs received reaccreditation from the National Council for the Advancement of Teacher Education.