Albion College ranks in the top 11 percent nationally among 829 colleges and second among Michigan colleges in a list of the Best Colleges for Financial Aid published this week by LendEDU.

According to LendEDU, the ranking is based on data from the National Center for Education Statistics’ Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and Peterson’s Undergraduate Financial Aid Database. It considered both need-based financial aid and non-need-based financial aid as well as financial aid for international students.

LendEDU also stated that the aim of its report is to help future college students better understand which colleges may be affordable for them by taking into account more than just the cost of attendance.

“This indicates that a private college education is not out of reach for families,” said Trevor Markovich, Albion’s director of financial aid. “When parents hear ‘private college’ or ‘private high school,’ many automatically assume it will be out of reach financially. This shows that Albion is affordable.”

Markovich added that the high marks are a testament to the vision President Mauri Ditzler brought to Albion more than a half-decade ago to address college affordability for students enrolling at Albion College.

“This has been coming together for the last five years,” Markovich said. “This is an accumulation of President Ditzler’s tenure here. His goal was to make Albion College look like America today and that means we have to make it affordable for everyone.”

“You can ask any of our admissions counselors,” Markovich continued. “Students and parents can absolutely be in love with a college, but if the money’s not right, it’s not going to work out. This shows it can work out.”