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Thomas Aquinas College is one of the most popular liberal arts colleges in the United States, according to the latest rankings from U.S. News & World Report. In its survey of college enrollment for the 2015-16 academic year, the newsweekly found that 66.4 percent of the applicants admitted to Thomas Aquinas College go on to enroll as freshmen in the fall — the fifth-highest “yield” rate in the country.

U.S. News & World Report
“A higher yield” writes U.S. News reporter Farran Powell, “typically indicates a school’s popularity and desirability in a student’s eyes and is often associated with a ‘first-choice school.’” Three of the other liberal arts colleges included in the magazine’s Top 5 are military academies, and the fourth is likewise able to offer its students an education at no charge, making Thomas Aquinas College No. 1 in the United States among liberal arts colleges that charge tuition.

Nationwide, U.S. News reports, “yield” rates are in decline “as students submit more college applications to various schools — reducing the probability that they’ll attend a particular school.” Yet Thomas Aquinas College bucks that trend, posting a yield rate that is more than 3 percentage points higher than it was in 2013-4 (63.2 percent) and more than double the national average of 27.5 percent. Only 9 of the 216 liberal arts colleges that submitted yield data to U.S. News this academic year have a rate higher than 50 percent, and Thomas Aquinas College is the only Catholic institution among them.

This high rate, says Director of Admissions Jon Daly, is evidence that the College’s unique program of Catholic liberal education has broad appeal. “The decision about where to spend the next four years of their lives is one that most students do not make lightly,” he says. “That a large majority of our admitted applicants choose to come here shows a real commitment on their part to classical education taught under the light of faith.” The College’s ability to attract and admit students who are a good fit for its program is borne out by its retention rate. Some 94 percent of Thomas Aquinas College freshmen return as sophomores (compared to 70.2 percent nationwide).

“What no doubt helps with our yield rate,” adds Mr. Daly, “is that roughly half of our incoming freshmen have participated in our High School Summer Program. Having experienced the life of the College firsthand, they know that this is what they want. We also are blessed, through the help of our benefactors, with a generous financial-aid program that puts the cost of attending the College within reach of all families.”

The College’s appeal is not limited to prospective students. Last October, U.S. News ranked Thomas Aquinas College No. 2 on its annual list of “10 Universities Where the Most Alumni Donate,” suggesting a high level of alumni satisfaction.