Fredonia, N.Y. — August 22, 2008 — For the second consecutive year, SUNY Fredonia earned the 12th spot among top public universities in the North in the 2009 edition of “America’s Best Colleges,” published by U.S. News & World Report. The exclusive rankings will appear in the magazine’s Sept. 1 issue, on newsstands beginning Monday, Aug. 25, and online today.
In the larger category of both public and private institutions in the North, SUNY Fredonia tied for 52nd out of the top tier of the best “comprehensive universities,” which are those offering both bachelor’s and master’s degrees. There are 572 universities in this category nationwide, and Fredonia has been ranked as a best university by U.S. News & World Report since 1989.
“We are very pleased to have maintained such a distinguished ranking among the top public universities in the North,” SUNY Fredonia President Dennis L. Hefner said. “Our success within this publication occurs because we have exceptional faculty, staff and students who are dedicated and intent on delivering and receiving an excellent education in an accepting, challenging and highly rewarding atmosphere. These rankings are certainly welcome, but the most important bottom-line statistic from our vantage point is our graduates, and we rank seventh in the nation when comparing four-year graduation rates among public, master’s-granting universities.”
The U.S. News & World Report rankings — which group schools based on categories created by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching — provide an unmatched resource for parents and students contemplating one of life’s most challenging financial decisions.
Using a proprietary methodology, the annual rankings represent the most comprehensive look at how schools stack up based on a set of 15 widely accepted indicators of excellence, and help consumers evaluate and compare data compiled from more than 1,400 accredited, four-year schools. Items such as graduation and retention rates, peer assessment, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources and alumni giving are all factored in to this process.
The publication’s methodology experts are quick to point out that “the college experience consists of a host of intangibles that cannot be reduced to mere numbers.” However, the study’s authors state that, if this information is combined with college visits, interviews, and each student’s intuition, these rankings can be a powerful resource when making this significant, life-changing decision.
