Elon University earns a top national ranking in a new feature included in the 2009 U.S. News & World Report “America’s Best Colleges” guide. The magazine named Elon the top "School to Watch" in a listing of colleges and universities that have made “striking improvements or innovations – schools everyone should be watching.”
The new ranking of 70 schools is the result of the magazine’s survey of the nation’s college presidents, provosts and admissions deans. Those administrators at every college and university in the nation were asked to nominate up to 10 schools everyone should be watching. Elon, along with #2 Belmont University in Tennessee, was nominated most often by survey respondents.
The U.S. News editors wrote that the 70 top schools are “looking to the future,” and said that “Elon has a strong reputation for student engagement, but it wants to do more.”
President Leo M. Lambert explained Elon’s strong global emphasis and study abroad programs, saying, “We very much believe in the preparation of Elon students as global citizens.”
The U.S. News editors say the listing offers students assurance that the top schools are “firmly focused on improving the job they’re doing today – at least in the judgment of their peers.”
Elon ranked #2 among Southern Universities
For the second year in a row, Elon University is ranked #2 among 118 Southern master’s-level universities in the U.S. News & World Report “America’s Best Colleges” guide. Elon earned the top reputation score in the category, based on the magazine’s survey of administrators at colleges and universities in the Southern region. The top 10 master’s-level Southern universities include the following:
1. Rollins College (Florida)
2. Elon University
3. Stetson University (Florida)
4. James Madison University (Virginia)
5. (tie) The Citadel (South Carolina)
5. (tie) Loyola University New Orleans (Louisiana)
7. University of Mary Washington (Virginia)
8. Mercer University (Georgia)
9. (tie) Appalachian State University (North Carolina)
9. (tie) College of Charleston (South Carolina)
Elon remains nation’s top university in
U.S. News “Programs to Look For” ranking
Elon University’s academic programs are listed in seven of the eight categories in this year’s “Programs to Look For” feature of the U.S. News & World Report “America’s Best Colleges” guide. No other school in the nation earns as many category listings in the ranking, which is derived from a national survey by the magazine of college presidents, chief academic officers and chief admissions officers. Elon is cited for excellence in the following categories:
- First-year experiences
- Study abroad
- Undergraduate research/creative projects
- Service learning
- Internships
- Learning communities
- Senior capstone experiences
This is the seventh consecutive year that U.S. News has published the “Programs to Look For” listing, focusing on academic programs that are commonly linked to student success. Elon has consistently been listed in more categories than any other university in the annual ranking.