National rankings bring good news for U of I

MOSCOW, Idaho – A series of recent national rankings have some good news for the University of Idaho: its national reputation is on the rise – and it’s all adding up to a quality, affordable education with impact.

In the most recent rankings released early today by U.S. News & World Report, U-Idaho is ranked 160th out of 280 national universities in the magazine’s “America’s Best Colleges” guide. National universities offer a range of undergraduate majors, in addition to master’s and doctoral degrees, and some emphasize research, according to the magazine.

“While rankings are only one measure of the University of Idaho’s total student experience, we are gratified to see that our emphasis on creating a quality educational experience is being noticed not only in Idaho, but nationwide,” said university President M. Duane Nellis. “We’re the first choice for students who want to be at a place where they can succeed and lead.”

When looking only at public institutions in the U.S. News rankings, U-Idaho ranks 87th among national public universities. Also noted is U-Idaho’s higher proportion of undergraduate classes with less than 20 students, 45 percent, and fewer classes with more than 50 students, 10 percent. U-Idaho also has a low student-to-faculty ratio –18:1 – which reflects the type of small, dedicated learning environment for students for which U-Idaho is known.

In other recent rankings:

U-Idaho is among Forbes Magazine’s “America’s Top Colleges” for 2012. The institution ranked 154th among the nation’s research universities, and 85th in the west. Overall, the University of Idaho ranked in the top 20 percent of all undergraduate institutions in the nation. Forbes calculates its rankings on quality of teaching, great career prospects, graduation rates and low debt levels.

Forbes also ranked the university 38th in the nation in its “Top 100 Best Buy Colleges” for affordability.

Washington Monthly magazine’s College Guide again this year ranked the University of Idaho among the top 100 national universities for social mobility, research and service.

National Jurist magazine ranked the university 13th among 200 American Bar Association-approved law schools in a ranking of “Top Law Schools for Clinical Opportunities.” Harvard ranked 20th. This designation is based on the ratio of law clinic positions available to students and the school’s enrollment.

Newsweek magazine ranked U-Idaho as the third most affordable university– Newsweek’s word “cheapest” – in the nation in its “Best Colleges For You 2012.” This ranking, in the magazine’s own words, “looked at what American kids really care about these days, and also pulled from sources including the National Center for Education Statistics; the College Board; the Shanghai Ranking Consultancy; and the Sustainable Endowment Institute, a data partnership with the Washington Monthly magazine.