 A science lab at SUNY Fredonia |
SUNY Fredonia is ranked 10th among the top public universities in the North in the 2011 edition of “America’s Best Colleges,” published by U.S. News & World Report. This represents an increase of four places over its 2009 listing.
The complete and exclusive rankings will appear in the magazine’s September issue, on newsstands beginning August 31, and online today.
In the larger category of both public and private institutions in the North, SUNY Fredonia tied for 46th out of the top tier of the best 126 “Regional Universities,” which the magazine defines as those offering bachelor’s and master’s degrees. This represents an increase of five places over its 2009 rankings.
The publication’s “North” region includes Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont. 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.
SUNY Fredonia also performed well in a second category this year: “A-plus Schools for B Students.” This category looks at institutions which “seek a broad, engaged student body,” and where above average students have a chance to thrive upon acceptance. SUNY Fredonia’s average metrics for its 2009 freshman class (the year upon which these rankings are based) included a mean cumulative high school grade point average of 90%, an SAT score of 1100 and a composite ACT score of 24.
Additionally, the university was ranked 21st in the North among freshmen retention rates, with an impressive 85.0 percent of first-year students returning for their sophomore year at SUNY Fredonia.
“We are delighted to have achieved such a noticeable increase in these annual rankings,” SUNY Fredonia President Dennis L. Hefner said. “Our consistent success within this publication occurs because we have exceptional faculty and staff who are dedicated to delivering an excellent education in an accepting and challenging atmosphere, and high-quality students who are equally eager to excel. These rankings are certainly welcome, but the most important, bottom-line statistic from our vantage point is the success of our graduates, and we annually produce more than 1,400 alumni who make a real difference in our world every day.”
The U.S. News & World Report rankings, which classify 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.
The 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, student selectivity, peer assessment, faculty resources, financial resources and alumni giving are all factored into this process.
The publication’s 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.
