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Why Maine Maritime Academy was recognized as the
#1 public college in the country by Money magazine
By Michaela Cavallaro
AsmuchasMaineMaritimeAcademyis rankedsohighlydefinitelydidn'tsurpriseme."
highly respected among mariners, it isn't
However, the rankings also raise questions for
often mentioned by the general public
MMA leaders and community members: How,
in the same breath as Stanford, Harvard,
exactly, did a specialized academy with fewer
M.I.T. and Princeton. Al that changed in 2014,
than 1,000 students and a location in a remote
when Money magazine released its first annual
corner of Maine make the list? What criteria
list of best colleges in the United States--and
caused MMA to out-rank Ivy League colleges
Maine Maritime was the top public college on
with enormous endowments, as wel as the other
the list, and ranked #12 overal . In 2015, MMA
maritime and service academies? And, final y, is
held the top public college spot and moved up to
there any drawback to the national recognition?
#8, just below Harvard University, which tied for
on that last note, Craig Abbey, research
sixth place, and above Amherst College, which
director for the Center for Measuring Univer-
ranked ninth.
sity Performance, a research enterprise housed
"Money's rankings are based on three main
at Arizona State University, doesn't think the
criteria: quality, affordability and outcomes," says
newfound publicity creates much risk for the
President William J. Brennan. "Those are the
academy. "Someone might look into Maine Mar-
same topics I talk about al the time when I'm dis- itime Academy because of the ranking and think,
cussing Maine Maritime Academy with prospec-
if I go there I'l get a good job, but they might
tive students and members of the community.
not be thinking careful y about whether they'l
This is a career-oriented institution; our job is to
be happy in a command structure or spending
prepare young men and women to be successful
six months at sea," he says. "If they get more of
at the Academy so they can be successful in their
those people who are coming without a clear
careers and, we hope, in their lives."
purpose, graduation rates could plummet. on the
MMA alumni echo that response. "When you
other hand, people who choose Maine Maritime
look at the ratings criteria, they're almost tailored
Academy are obviously pretty serious about what
to what Maine Maritime Academy is based on,"
they want to do."
says Seth Spiller '11. "The news that we were
Photo by C hughes.

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