U.S. News and World Reports is very well-known as a publication for its yearly rankings of the Best Colleges in America. According to the methodology information on their website, colleges and universities are ranked according to the following quality indicators:
- Peer assessment
- Graduation and retention rates
- Faculty resources
- Student selectivity
- Financial resources
- Alumni giving
- Graduation rate performance*
- High school counselor undergraduate academic reputation ratings*
Also rankings for the year 2012 include regionally accredited for-profit colleges and universities for the first time ever, such as online bachelor-degree program granting institutions. (*Asterisks denote indicators used for national and liberal arts colleges only).
Drumroll Please!
So what were the results of the rankings? Here are the colleges who are holding down the Top Ten spots for National and Liberal Arts colleges. Check them out:
Best National Colleges
Colleges in this category are said to offer a full range of majors, master’s, and doctoral degrees. These institutions are among the nation’s cremè-de-la-cremè producing groundbreaking research:
- Harvard University
- Princeton University
- Yale University
- Columbia University
- California Institute of Technology
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Stanford University
- University of Chicago
- University of Pennsylvania
- Duke University
Top Liberal Arts Colleges
Liberal arts colleges are those that place an emphasis on undergraduate education and award at least half of their degrees in liberal arts. Among the standouts:
- Williams College
- Amherst College
- Swarthmore College
- Pomona College
- Middlebury College
- Bowdoin College
- Carleton College
- Wellesley College
- Claremont McKenna College
- Haverford College
There’s even more rankings to take a look at, including regional college rankings, best value schools, and up-and-coming schools.
Do you attend of one America’s best colleges?
Rep your college! How do you feel about the education you’re receiving or have received from the college/university you attended?
Do you feel you were adequately prepared for taking the next step in life – whether it be securing a good job or continuing onto graduate school?
