KIRKLAND, WA, November 3, 2009 /Press Release/ –  Iowa Central College (http://www.iowacentralonline.com/) was ranked #4 out of 200 educational institutions offering online degree programs by Guide to Online Schools (http://www.guidetoonlineschools.com), a leading online education portal.  The annual study by Guide to Online Schools factored in multiple metrics:  Regional Accreditation, Tuition Cost, Number of Students, Number of Full-Time Faculty, Number of Part-Time Faculty, Student-to-Faculty Ratio, Graduation Rate, and Retention Rate, all derived from the latest data compiled by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a U.S. Department of Education group (http://nces.ed.gov/).  For its findings, Guide to Online Schools also leveraged student feedback and reviews collected on its site during the study.  The top 25 schools to rank were then published with full metric data presented online.

Iowa Central College was determined the most affordable of all the top 25 institutions, and ranked well for having a low overall student-to-faculty ratio.  Iowa Central College received high marks for its accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCACS).  Its ranking placed it ahead of other popular online institutions, including the University of Phoenix, Capella University, and Walden University.  “Iowa Central College has shown itself to be a leading online learning institution, both in terms of student popularity and in the quality of education it provides. This college, with its exceptional opportunities and affordability is an excellent choice for anyone interested in distance learning,” stated Keith Cushner, Project Manager for Guide to Online Schools.

Iowa Central College Online is the online satellite of Iowa Central Community College and offers associate degree training in business, information technology, criminal justice, healthcare, and human services.  Formed in 1966 in order to meet the educational needs of a nine-county area of Iowa, Iowa Central Community College has expanded to now serve close to six thousand students.
Guide to Online Schools in an authoritative online resource for distance education and career information.  The site provides prospective students with school reviews, distance learning testimonials, in-depth career information, and the ability to connect directly with schools.  Guide to Online School’s study is available at http://www.guidetoonlineschools.com/online-colleges, and is part of an annual review of all online schools presented on the website.