Harvard University is the country's oldest, wealthiest and most selective university. Now it's back on top of the U.S. News & World Report college rankings, claiming sole possession of the No. 1 spot for the first time in 12 years. Princeton slips to No. 2, ending eight straight years of at least sharing the top ranking. The latest edition hits newsstands Monday, but was to be published Friday on the magazine's Web site.
Yale follows at No. 3, and MIT and Stanford tie for fourth. The University of California, Berkeley is the highest-ranked public university, at No. 21 overall. In a separate list for liberal arts colleges, Amherst moves up one spot to tie Williams, its rival just up the road in Massachusetts, for the top spot.
The ranking formula takes account of factors such as SAT scores, peer reputation, selectivity and alumni giving.
Debuting this year are rankings identifying "Up and Comers" — innovative institutions that college officials identify as poised to move up in the rankings in the coming years. Topping that list are George Mason University in Virginia, Clemson in South Carolina, the University of Southern California and Arizona State.
The U.S. News rankings remain the best-known but have spawned a range of competitors. The latest include Forbes.com, which published its first-ever rankings this month, focusing on student achievement and ranking Princeton at the top.
A big theme this year is the environment. This year's college guide from Princeton Review (not affiliated with the university) includes a new category of "green ratings" for colleges. The National Wildlife Federation this week put out a campus environmental report card that doesn't rank campuses but highlights ones with policies it considers exemplary.
— The Associated Press
Leave a comment