Elon among top 10 in 2004 U.S. News Rankings

Based on a survey of college presidents, academic vice presidents and deans at all colleges and universities in the nation, U.S. News produces eight lists of “outstanding examples of academic programs that lead to student success.” Elon was honored for excellence in the following programs:

• First-year Experiences (programs designed to help freshmen make a successful transition to college)
• Service-learning (programs that combine volunteer service with academic courses)
• Learning Communities (innovative programs in which students who live together on a residence hall floor take a set of the same courses, related to their majors or interests, and work closely with faculty members)

Only 12 schools out of 1,400 colleges and universities were singled out for three or more academic programs in the U.S. News “Programs to Look For” listing. Princeton and Yale universities were each recognized for four programs, and Elon, Duke University, Grinnell College, Harvard University, Portland State University, Truman State University, University of Missouri – Columbia, University of Wisconsin – Madison and University of Michigan – Ann Arbor were each recognized on three of the lists.

In addition, U.S. News ranks Elon #24 in the nation for the percentage of students who spend time studying abroad.

This is Elon’s third straight year in the Southern region top 10 in the U.S. News rankings. Elon ranks sixth among Southern universities for academic reputation and for graduation/student retention rates.

Elon continues to improve on criteria of the U.S. News ranking methodology, including significant increases in the average SAT score and high school class standing of incoming students. The student-faculty ratio improved to 15-to-1 and the percentage of full-time faculty increased to 91 percent. The percentage of alumni making an annual gift to Elon also increased to 25 percent.

The annual U.S. News & World Report report is the most widely read ranking of the nation’s colleges and universities.

Following is a list of the top 10 Master’s-level Southern universities:
1. University of Richmond
2. Rollins College
3. James Madison University
4. Stetson University
5. Samford University
6. (tie) Loyola University – New Orleans
Mary Washington College
Mercer University
9. Elon University
10. (tie) Centenary College of Louisiana
The Citadel

Following are the “Programs to Look For” listings that include Elon:

First-Year Experiences

Appalachian State University

Arizona State University

Beloit College

Brevard College

Duke University

Elon University

Evergreen State College

Grinnell College

Harvard University

Indiana Univ. –Bloomington

Indiana U. – Purdue U. –Indianapolis

Ithaca College

Kennesaw State University

Lawrence University

North Carolina State University

Ohio State University- Columbus

Princeton University

Stanford University

Texas A&M University

Truman State University

University of Maryland –College Park

University of Missouri – Columbia

University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill

University of Notre Dame

University of Richmond

University of South Carolina

University of Virginia

University of Washington

University of Wisconsin – Madison

Wagner College

Wake Forest University

William Jewell College

Yale University

Learning Communities

Alverno College

Bowling Green State University

Duke University

Elon University

Evergreen State College

Georgia State University

Indiana U. – Purdue U. – Indianapolis

Iowa State University

Portland State University

Samford University

Santa Clara University

St. Lawrence University

Syracuse University

Temple University

Univ. of Maryland – College Park

University of Michigan – Ann Arbor

University of Missouri – Columbia

University of Wisconsin – Madison

Vanderbilt University

Wagner College

Yale University

Service Learning

Alverno College

Augsburg College

Bentley College

Berea College

Brown University

Elon University

Georgetown University

Indiana U. – Purdue U. – Indianapolis

Pitzer College

Portland State University

Providence College

Santa Clara University

Stanford University

Trinity College

University of Michigan – Ann Arbor

University of Notre Dame

University of Pennsylvania

University of Utah

Vanderbilt University

Warren Wilson College