Aug 30, 2011 - Claremont, Calif. -

For the third consecutive year, Harvey Mudd College is among the top 10 of Washington Monthly’s rankings of service-oriented schools.

HMC ranks No. 9 on the 2011 list of liberal arts colleges that give back to their communities based on commitment to enrolling low-income students and helping them earn degrees; producing groundbreaking research and success at sending undergraduates on to obtain Ph.D.s; and encouraging students to give back to their country.

Washington Monthly ranked HMC No. 1 among liberal arts colleges in how many undergraduates go on to get their Ph.D.s.

Claiming to offer “a very different perspective on higher education excellence than the one represented by U.S. News,” Washington Monthly rates colleges based on their contribution to the public good, measured by three broad categories: social mobility (recruiting and graduating low-income students), research (producing cutting-edge scholarship and PhDs), and service (encouraging students to give something back to their country). “The nation is badly in need of cutting-edge research, wise and knowledgeable citizens and workers, and a renewed focus on service. Our top-ranked colleges are poised to deliver,” Washington Monthly editors write.

The mission of Harvey Mudd College is to educate engineers, scientists and mathematicians, well versed in all of these areas and in the humanities and the social sciences so that they may assume leadership in their fields with a clear understanding of the impact of their work on society.

Washington Monthly’s 2011 College Rankings- Liberal Arts

Washington Monthly’s 2011 College Rankings- Overall

“A different kind of college rankings: The top 10 that give back” on Yahoo! News