The ΒιΆΉΣ³»΄«Γ½ remained one of the nationβs top 5 βup-and-comerβ schools while advancing in the overall U.S. News & World Report best colleges rankings released today.
ΒιΆΉΣ³»΄«Γ½ tied with the University of Southern California for No. 5 on the βup-and-comersβ list, which recognizes schools that recently made the most promising and innovative changes in the areas of academics, faculty, student life, campus or facilities. ΒιΆΉΣ³»΄«Γ½ is the only Florida school on the βup-and-comersβ list.
Overall, ΒιΆΉΣ³»΄«Γ½ moved up three spots in the rankings to No. 174 and again ranked among the top 100 public schools in the country.
βΒιΆΉΣ³»΄«Γ½βs continued advancement in the rankings during a period of severe state budget cuts is a testament to our hard-working staff and faculty members,β said ΒιΆΉΣ³»΄«Γ½ spokesman Grant J. Heston. βTheir dedication enables us to provide our students with a high-quality education and opportunities that prepare them for a lifetime of success.β
The annual rankings reflect ΒιΆΉΣ³»΄«Γ½βs commitment to quality growth. The average SAT score for ΒιΆΉΣ³»΄«Γ½βs fall freshman class has increased 77 points during the past 10 years to 1244 this year.
With a university-record 241 National Merit Scholars enrolled this semester, ΒιΆΉΣ³»΄«Γ½ again will be among the top 50 universities nationwide for the total number of scholars enrolled.
This spring, U.S. News & World Report ranked several ΒιΆΉΣ³»΄«Γ½ graduate programs as among the best in the nation. The highest-ranking ΒιΆΉΣ³»΄«Γ½ programs included the College of Educationβs graduate counselor education program at No. 11 in the country, a College of Optics and Photonics program at No. 13 and the special education graduate program at No. 14.
In other recent rankings, Kiplinger and The Princeton Review have recognized a ΒιΆΉΣ³»΄«Γ½ education as one of the best values in the country.