Oakland, CA–August 22, 2008. U.S. News & World Report has ranked Mills College fourth among its peers of the best universities and colleges in the West, moving up from last year's ranking at sixth. The College was also ranked seventh on the "Great Schools, Great Prices" list for the West.

"Mills College is proud to be recognized by our peers for our innovative and bold curriculum for both undergraduate and graduate students," said Mills College President Janet L. Holmgren. "We will continue to strive for excellence with a deep commitment to women's education."

U.S. News & World Report ranked the College a top choice in the West among the 572 colleges and universities in the country that confer bachelors and masters degrees. Mills College has a vibrant undergraduate and graduate student community who are enrolled in more than 40 undergraduate majors and more than 25 graduate programs ranging from the nation's first MFA in creative writing and book art to a women-focused MBA.

Mills' academic quality was assessed by reviews from administrators of peer institutions as well as quantitative measures. Mills was noted for its small student-to-faculty ratio (11:1), small classes (78 percent of classes have fewer than 20 students), and high-caliber students (78 percent of freshwomen are from the top quarter of their high school class). Other factors included the freshmen retention rate, graduation rate, percent of full-time faculty, college acceptance rate, and alumni giving rate.

Mills' rankings improved as the College saw increases in its retention rate, percent of small classes, percent of full-time faculty, percent of high-caliber students, higher ACT and SAT scores, and the alumni giving rate.

The "Great Schools, Great Prices" category by U.S. News & World Report recognized Mills for its high academic quality relative to the net cost of attendance for students receiving financial aid. In 2007-08, 73 percent of Mills students received need-based aid.

Nestled in the foothills of Oakland, California, Mills College is a nationally renowned, independent liberal arts college offering a dynamic progressive education that fosters leadership, social responsibility, and creativity to approximately 950 undergraduate women and 500 graduate women and men. Since 2000, applications to Mills College have more than doubled. The College is one of the Best 368 Colleges by the Princeton Review and ranks 75th among America's best colleges by Forbes.com. Visit us at www.mills.edu.

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