Sarah Dettmer

The University of Montana Western in Dillon was ranked by Time’s Money Magazine as the best four-year university in Montana.

Money released its 2016 list of the best four-year colleges in the United States by value. Value was determined by 24 factors in three categories: quality of education, affordability of the school and alumni success. Money looked at the comparative values of how well students perform at each school versus how well students with similar economic and educational backgrounds are expected to perform.

Money looked at approximately 2,000 four-year colleges and screened out those that had graduation rates below the national median, were facing financial difficulties or had fewer than 500 undergraduates enrolled.

This resulted in a list of the country’s 705 best four-year colleges and universities.

“We’re both one of the most affordable universities in Montana and we have a highly successful and unique educational program called Experience One,” Montana Western Chancellor Beth Weatherby said. “We’ve had a full implementation of the program for 10 years and it has been successful by every measure. All of the numbers that relate to student success have increased dramatically since Experience One began.”

Experience One is a block-scheduling program that allows students to take one class, three hours a day, for 18 days. After finishing the class, students have four days off before moving on to their next 18-day class. Students take about four blocks a semester, equaling the same amount a credits a student would receive through traditional class schedules.

Montana Western is the only four-year public university in the country that offers block scheduling.

“We’re really proud of the fact that we deliver such a successful program at such an affordable price,” Weatherby said. “We give access to students who might not otherwise go to college.”

Montana Western is one of the cheapest Montana colleges. The yearly cost for in-state undergraduates is about $4,226. In comparison, the University of Montana is about $6,182, Montana State University is about $6,850 and Carroll College is about $30,104.

Money Magazine also applauded Montana Western for its hands-on approach to learning. It is the only four-year college that offers a degree in natural horsemanship. This degree program includes learning and working at the Montana Center for Horsemanship, the only equine educational facility in the country that focuses on natural horsemanship.

Montana Western boasts an 80 percent job placement within the first year following graduation. Student graduation rates have increased 80 percent and the school has a 96 percent completion rate.

“We’re a smaller school in a rural town and we’re increasing in enrollment while other small schools are decreasing,” Weatherby said. “Getting students proper education for their money is something very meaningful.”

Weatherby said the ranking has provided further encouragement to build of the successes of the Experience One program.

Montana Western ranked 172 on the list of 705 schools.

Carroll College was the next highest ranking school in Montana, coming in at 328. Carroll College was recognized for its students’ acceptance rate into medical schools. Students consistently are accepted with a rate higher than the national average.

MSU tied with San Francisco State University for 369th. MSU was commended for its 150 individual academic programs and commitment to research. The school typically spends more than $100 million on research, with $1.7 million donated toward undergraduate research annually.

The University of Montana was in a three-way tie with Loyola University Chicago and Caldwell College in New Jersey. They all ranked 558.

UM was recognized for its success in combining academic quality with outdoor recreation through its College of Forestry and Conservation and a program in Ecological Agriculture and Society where students intern at the school’s farm.

The complete list of ranked colleges and universities can be found at http://ti.me/29s9RMv.