The Princeton Review is touting Ball State as one of the best college values in the nation.

Ball State is featured in the 2007 edition of the book "America's Best Value Colleges," produced by the New York-based educational services company. The book profiles 150 public and private schools with excellent academics, generous financial aid packages and relatively low costs.

"It is gratifying to see a national publication recognize Ball State University as an excellent institution and an outstanding value for students and their families," said Ball State President Jo Ann M. Gora. "A great part of what makes Ball State such a tremendous value is the different kind of experience we offer. We emphasize relevant immersive learning that engages students in study abroad, research and intense in- and out-of-classroom creative projects, and we pride ourselves on the close, collaborative relationships our students and professors form. The whole feeling here is supportive and vibrant."

The guidebook praises Ball State's nationally recognized programs in architecture, entrepreneurship, journalism, speech pathology and telecommunications as well as excellent and popular programs in business administration, criminal justice and education.

The book's editors gave high marks to the university's low cost of tuition and recent increases in financial aid. The guidebook also highlights Ball State's success in building a sense of community, particularly through the Freshman Connections program, which places first-year students from the same residence hall in several of the same required courses.

"Breadth of offerings and the school's relatively large size notwithstanding, Ball State University has a small-school feel that students appreciate," said the guidebook. "Small classes and personal professors also help."

The book, which was released March 28, has three-page profiles on the featured colleges, lists of the top 10 best value private colleges and the top 10 best value public colleges, and advice about applying for college admission and financial aid. It is one of more than 200 Princeton Review books published by Random House in a line that includes the annual "Best 361 Colleges." In this book, Ball State was designated as a "Best in the Midwest" in 2006.

The Princeton Review has posted a list of schools in the book at www.PrincetonReview.com.

(Note to editors: For more information, contact Marc Ransford, media relations manager, at 00meransford@bsu.edu or (765) 285-1570. A complete list of Ball State's recent rankings may be found at www.bsu.edu/up/ranked.)