FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MARCH 20, 2003

WOOSTER, Ohio - A new book by Jay Mathews, education reporter and columnist for The Washington Post, ranks The College of Wooster number four on a list of America's "outstanding but underappreciated" colleges. The book, Harvard Schmarvard: Getting Beyond the Ivy League to the College That Is Best for You, was published this month by Prima Publishing.

Mathews asked guidance counselors and teachers who work with college-bound students to name schools that "deserve more attention than they are getting" and combined those results with input from students, parents and national education experts. He then ranked these 100 "hidden gems" based on how often they were mentioned.

Of the resulting rankings, Mathews says, "I would not put too much stock in my order of merit. I did it mostly for fun. You can't lure people into a friendly argument over which school is best unless you do some ranking...All 100 colleges...are excellent."

Mathews quotes a director of college counseling who calls Wooster "a very good liberal arts college that has a surprisingly eclectic and interesting student body. The teaching is excellent and the students get a great deal of individual attention. The school has a very strong music program."

The College of Wooster is an independent liberal arts college, nationally recognized for an innovative curriculum that emphasizes independent learning. Each Wooster senior creates an original research project, written work, performance or exhibit of artwork, supported one-on-one by a faculty mentor. Founded in 1866, the college currently enrolls approximately 1,800 students.