Roger Williams Earns Highest U.S. News Ranking in School’s History
BRISTOL, R.I., August 2008 – In this year’s college rankings published by U.S. News & World Report, Roger Williams University achieved its highest ranking in history, jumping to the eighth slot in its category—Best Baccalaureate Colleges in the North.
The University attributes the jump from ninth to improvements in its acceptance rate, freshman retention rate, graduation rate, student/faculty ratio, the academic qualifications of incoming students, and reputation among other factors.
“We’ve worked tirelessly over the past decade to turn Roger Williams University into a top-tier liberal arts school in the Northeast,” said University President Roy J. Nirschel. “While college rankings are just one indicator of our success, we’re gratified that our peers have acknowledged the tremendous progress achieved at RWU in recent years.”
As defined by U.S. News & World Report, baccalaureate colleges are institutions “that focus on undergraduate education and offer a range of degree programs—in liberal arts, which account for fewer than half of their bachelor’s degrees, and in professional fields such as business, nursing and education.”
Ranking ahead of Roger Williams in the category for the North region are historically top-notch institutions such as Cooper Union, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and Bard College at Simon’s Rock, among others.
The magazine’s “America’s Best Colleges 2009” edition is set to hit newsstands this coming Monday, August 25.