ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ faculty and academic programs earned numerous top national honors in the 2011 “America’s Best Colleges” rankings released Aug. 17 by US News & World Report. In the magazine's "Focused on Their Undergrads" ranking, ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ is named the #1 Southern University and among the top 86 colleges and universities in the nation "where the faculty has an unusual commitment to undergraduate teaching," as measured in a survey of college presidents, provosts and admissions deans.
For the fourth year in a row, ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ is ranked #2 among 118 Southern universities, the top North Carolina school in the category:
1. Rollins College (Fla.)
2. ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ
3. (tie) James Madison University (Va.)
3. (tie) Stetson University (Fla.)
5. Belmont University (Tenn.)
In its 2011 “Up-and-Comers” ranking, US News ranks ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ the #1 Southern University and among the top 68 colleges and universities in the nation “that have recently made the most promising and innovative changes in the areas of academics, faculty, student life, campus, or facilities,” as recommended in a survey of top college administrators.
Again this year, ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ leads the nation in a US News “Focus on Student Success” ranking of key programs that enrich the college experience. ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ is among the nation’s leaders in the following categories:
- Internships
- Senior capstone experiences
- First-year experience
- Learning communities
- Study abroad
- Service learning
- Undergraduate research/creative projects
ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ and Stanford University are the only schools named in seven of the eight key program categories.
ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ also earns recognition in the US News “Great Schools, Great Prices” ranking, rating #7 among Southern universities based on a combination of academic quality and net costs for students and their families.
In a ranking titled “A+ schools for B students,” US News names ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ among the top 17 Southern universities where students with B average grades in high school have a chance at “being accepted and thriving.”
The 2011 “America’s Best Colleges” package provides the most thorough examination of how more than 1,400 accredited four-year schools compare on a set of 16 widely accepted indicators of excellence. Among the many factors weighed in determining the rankings, the key measures of quality are: peer assessment, graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources and alumni giving.