(from OneDisc 2004)

For the 15th consecutive year, James Madison University ranked as the top public, master's-level university in the South in the highly regarded annual poll on academic quality conducted by U.S. News & World Report for its guidebook, 2009 America's Best Colleges. JMU also had the highest graduation rate - 80 percent - among both public and privates colleges in the South.
With 53 of its alumni serving as Peace Corps volunteers in developing countries, JMU ranked 14th in the nation among large colleges and universities for graduates currently serving as volunteers with the U.S. service program in a 2008 ranking.
The U.S. News' 2009 America's Best Colleges guidebook recognized JMU's "First-Year Experiences" in its "Programs to Look For" section. Madison's strong freshman orientation and first-year-in-college academic guidance programs were spotlighted as superior along with programs at 24 other public colleges in the nation.
The Princeton Review's 2007 guide, America's Best Value Colleges, also selected JMU as one of the nation's best values for a college education. The guidebook, published in spring 2006, profiles 150 undergraduate institutions that offer excellent academics, generous financial-aid packages and relatively low costs.
JMU placed at No. 22 nationally in The Kiplinger 100, a listing of best values in public colleges - schools selected for "their combination of outstanding economic value with top-notch education" - published in the February 2008 issue of Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine.

"In the midst of the stunning Shenandoah Valley lies a purple and gold gem" opens the review of JMU in The Insider's Guide to the Colleges 2007. "JMU is incredibly friendly," authors write. "Its social graces tend to alleviate what might otherwise be a stressful academic lifestyle. Additionally, the campus accommodates students' busy schedules exceedingly well." The guidebook highlights "full professors who hold consistent office hours and make themselves extremely accessible." In its "Bottom Line" on JMU, the Insider's Guide concludes: "JMU provides a terrific liberal arts education and continues its history of producing successful alumni today, while fostering an inclusive and high-spirited atmosphere that complements its beautiful area."
Edward B. Fiske, former education editor of "The New York Times," included JMU in his highly regarded book, "The Fiske Guide to Colleges 2007." It notes that "an emphasis on undergraduate teaching, close student/faculty interaction, and a warm and welcoming climate are business as usual at JMU." The 2007 edition concludes: "Though JMU still has a ways to go before establishing itself as a front-rank national university, it is making considerable progress. The school is growing, but not outgrowing its Southern charm."
In its second year in the Top 10 of college cuisine, Madison ranked No. 7 in the nation for "great campus food," based on student surveys, in The Princeton Review's annual college guide for 2007, Best 361 Colleges. JMU had ranked sixth in 2006 for its food offerings, 11th in 2005 and 18th in 2004.

The Princeton Review's 2007 guide, Best 361 Colleges, in its profile of JMU, quotes students as recognizing the school's "welcoming environment," "friendly and outgoing" student body, "well-ranked academics" and ability to deliver "more fun than you can have anywhere else." "Almost all the students you meet are in love with this school," the book quotes a student. JMU faculty are praised for their "willingness to extend learning outside of the classroom" and their "realistic method of teaching to prepare students for real-world job applications."