News & World Report magazine has ranked Tabor College among the best colleges in the Midwest.

According to the 2009 edition of “America’s Best Colleges,” Tabor College ranks 38th among the best baccalaureate colleges in the Midwest region, an increase from 40th place last year.

Schools included in this category are those that focus on undergraduate educations and offer a range of degree programs in the liberal arts and in professional fields such as business, nursing, and education.

According to Tabor College President Jules Glanzer, moving up two positions in the ranking affirms the school’s commitment to continuous improvement in all of its programs.

“It is a wonderful thing to be recognized by a respected national magazine as a college that provides an excellent education,” Glanzer said. “Students, parents, and alumni should take great pride in Tabor College.”

More important than a national ranking is the fact that Tabor provides a place where academic excellence and life transformation are brought together in a decidedly-Christian setting, Glanzer said.

At a time when sending a child to college has become a major family investment, reviews such as “America’s Best Colleges” have become valuable resources. The rankings, based on 15 indicators of excellence, are designed to help students and parents evaluate and compare more than 1,400 accredited four-year schools.

Among the factors are student-faculty ratios of 10:1, and the fact that 71 percent of the classes at Tabor have less than 20 students.