SUNY Fredonia has earned the 14th spot among top public, master’s granting universities in the North in the 2010 edition of “America’s Best Colleges,” published by U.S. News & World Report.
The exclusive rankings appear online today and in the magazine’s September 2009 issue, available for newsstand purchase on Monday, Aug. 24. The newsstand college guide will be available for purchase Tuesday, Aug. 25.
In the larger category of both public and private Master’s Universities offering bachelor’s and master’s degrees, SUNY Fredonia was 51st overall among the 179 private and public colleges and universities listed in the U.S. News “North” category, which includes Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont. In all, 572 universities throughout the U.S. were ranked among Master’s Universities.
Fredonia has been ranked among the top 15 public, master’s granting universities in the North for more than a decade.
Another distinction cited was SUNY Fredonia’s Freshmen Retention Rate, ranked second within all Master’s Universities of the State University of New York. “We’re also especially pleased that we ranked 22nd among all universities in the North – private or public – in terms of freshman retention rate,” noted President Dennis L. Hefner. “That’s out of a universe of 179 institutions, and it tells us that we’re doing a good job, campus-wide, in helping our students with the challenging transition from high school to college.”
President Hefner added, “Our steady success 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.”
U.S. News also noted, “Academic Programs to Look For,” while looking at colleges, including first-year experiences, internships/co-ops, senior capstone experiences, undergraduate research/creative projects, learning communities, study abroad and service learning – all of which SUNY Fredonia incorporates throughout its undergraduate experience.
The U.S. News & World Report rankings — which group 1,400-plus 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. Items such as graduation and retention rates, peer assessment, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources and alumni giving are all factored in to the process.
