• Business School
    • Free MBA Admissions Consultation
    • MBA Admissions Services
    • School-Specific MBA Essay Tips
    • Executive MBA Essay Tips
    • MBA Admissions Calendar
    • Free Guides
    • Video Tips
    • Podcast
    • Selectivity Index
    • EMBA: The Ultimate Guide for Applicants
  • Medical School
    • Free Med School Admissions Consultation
    • Med School Admissions Services
    • Med School Admissions 101
    • Secondary Essay Tips (by School)
    • Student Interviews
    • Free Guides
    • Video Tips
    • Podcast
    • Selectivity Index
  • Law School
    • Free Law School Admissions Consultation
    • Law School Admissions Services
    • Law School Admissions 101
    • Selectivity Index
    • Free Guides
    • Podcast
    • Video Tips
  • Graduate School
    • Free Grad School Admissions Consultation
    • Grad School Admissions Services
    • Grad School Admissions 101
    • Free Guides
    • Video Tips
    • Podcast
  • College
    • Free College Admissions Consultation
    • College Admissions Services
    • Free Guides
    • Supplemental Essay Tips
    • Video Tips
    • Podcast
Accepted

Speak with an Accepted admissions expert for FREE!

Blog HomePodcastContact Us

Accepted Admissions Blog

Everything you need to know to get Accepted

September 17, 2017

Reading Time: 2 minutes

U.S. News & World Report Announces 2018 Best College Rankings

U.S. News’ methodology focuses on academic excellence. The rankings emphasize student outcomes, such as graduation and freshman retention rates, which carry the most weight at 30%. The top National Universities and National Liberal Arts Colleges have much higher graduation and freshman retention rates than other schools.

Here are some of their findings:

• The average 6-year graduation rate is 96% among the top 10 National Universities (71.7% among all nationally ranked schools on that National University list) and 92.5% among the top 10 National Liberal Arts Colleges (75.7% among all numerically ranked schools on the National Liberal Arts College list).

• The average freshman retention rate is 98.3% among top 10 National Universities (87.2% among all nationally ranked schools on the National University list) and 96.5% for the top 10 National Liberal Arts Colleges (85.7% among all numerically ranked schools on the National Liberal Arts College list).

Graduation and retention rates are important indicators of how well a school supports its students academically and financially. Brian Kelly, editor and chief content officer of U.S. News, encourages families to research these statistics before taking out student loans or paying tuition bills.

The following are new to the rankings this year:

• Postgrad salary information on 1000 schools.

• A slight methodology change for National Universities to better predict graduation rates. To determine whether students at a given school are graduating at expected levels, U.S. News included the proportion of degrees awarded in the science, tech, engineering, and math fields. This was done to reflect research showing that STEM students generally graduate at lower rates.

• An alteration to the methodology for Best Colleges for Veterans rankings. A school must have enrolled at least 20 veterans and active service members in the 2016-17 academic year to qualify for the rankings.

Top 5 National Universities

Learn how to apply to an Ivy League School with Common Application.

Top 5 National Liberal Arts Colleges

Download the Free Guide to See how to Apply to an Ivy League School with a Common Application.

Top 5 National Public Universities

See Our Common Application Essay Tips from Top Schools!

Top 5 National Public Liberal Arts Colleges

See Our Common Application Essay Tips from Top Schools!

The Guide to Preparing for College in High School - free guide

AcceptedAccepted has helped applicants gain acceptance to top colleges and universities for 25 years. Our team of admissions consultants features former admissions committee members and highly experienced college admissions consultants who have guided our clients to admission at top programs including Princeton, Harvard, Stanford, Columbia, MIT, University of Chicago, and Yale. Want an admissions expert to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch!

 

Related Resources:

• Ivy League and Common Application Tips: How to Get Accepted, a free guide
• 3 Must-Knows When You’re Looking for an Admissions Consultant for Your Child
• What to Do in Your Senior Year to Enhance Your Chances of a College Acceptance

Article by Accepted / College Admissions / Rankings, US News

Get Accepted!

Sign up for a free consultation today!

Which program are you applying to?

Most Popular Blog Posts

1. 7 Simple Steps to Writing an Excellent Diversity Essay

2. 4 Ways to Show How You’ll Contribute in the Future

3. How to Write About Your Research Interests

4. Tips for Answering the Yale University Supplemental Essays and Short Answer Questions [2022-2023]

5. When Will Medical Schools Give You an Answer?

6. Sample Essays from Admitted HBS Students

7. Tips for Answering the University of Pennsylvania Supplemental Essay Prompts [2022-2023]

8. Top STEM MBA Programs: A Comprehensive List and Overview of STEM-OPT Eligible B-Schools

Sample Essays

MBA Personal Statement Examples

Medical School Personal Statement Examples

Graduate School Personal Statement Examples

Law School Personal Statement Examples

College Application Essay Examples

 

This Site is Featured on GMATClub

Home Page Services and Prices MBA Med School Law School Grad School College

About Us Press Room Contact Us Podcast Accepted Blog
Privacy Policy Website Terms of Use Disclaimer Client Terms of Service

Accepted 1171 S. Robertson Blvd. #140 Los Angeles CA 90035 +1 (310) 815-9553
© 2022 Accepted

BBB A+ RatingStamp of AIGAC Excellence

Copyright © 2023 · Education Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in