BSC: Birmingham-Southern College is a 4-year, private liberal arts college in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Founed in 1856, it is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. As of 2005 there are approximately 1500 students from 30 states and 23 foreign countries. Birmingham-Southern is in the top tier of National Liberal Arts Colleges in U.S. News & World Report America's Best Colleges 2005, the highest tier a liberal arts college can attain in the annual rankings, and is the highest ranked liberal arts college in Alabama. The College also is recognized by the John Templeton Foundation Honor Roll as one of 100 schools nationwide that emphasize character-building as an integral part of the college experience; as among the 100 "Colleges Worth Considering" compiled by Washington Post staff writer Jay Mathews; as one of "America's Best Christian Colleges" by Institutional Research and Evaluation Inc.; as one of the nation's top 30 colleges by The Washington Times; and as one of The Princeton Review's Best 357 Colleges. Birmingham-Southern is one of only six baccalaureate-liberal arts institutions in the country so classified by The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching to hold both AACSB International—The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business accreditation—and the designation of Phi Beta Kappa. Each year, Birmingham-Southern ranks #1 in Alabama and among the nation's best in percentage of all graduates accepted to medical, dental, or health-career programs; the college also ranks high nationally in graduates accepted to law school.