The Center on Higher Education Reform has named the University of Washington’s Bothell and Seattle campuses among the top schools in the nation for providing accessible, affordable higher education that prepares students for success in the real world.
The Center sought to quantify schools that were ‘a good bargain’ and which were
accessible regardless of race or socioeconomic status. To qualify, institutions had graduation rates great than 50 percent, a new price lower than $10,000 (calculated after student aid is awarded) and more than 25 percent of students receiving federal Pell grants. The variables were modeled after the new college rating system proposed by President Obama.
The University of Washington was among 19 schools that made it into the top tier, out of more than 1,700 reviewed. The Seattle branch excelled at graduation rates (84 percent), while Bothell served more Pell grant students (34 percent). The two branches were comparably priced.
The distinction was awarded one year after a small but significant reinvestment in Washington’s higher education system. The University of Washington, along with Washington State University and several other state institutions, declined to raise tuition last year after the legislature restored more than $200 million in cuts made during the Great Recession.