New College of Florida was recently named a "Best Buy" in the 2018 edition of the Fiske Guide to Colleges. Only 20 public colleges in the United States received the designation; New College has appeared on the list every year since 2003. To qualify, colleges must meet Fiske’s criteria for a four- or five-star ranking for academic excellence and be in its moderate- or low-price groups. Only one other Florida school appears on the list.