Catawba College continues to be ranked as one of the nation's Best Regional Colleges, according to the 2011 edition of "Best Colleges," published by U.S.News & World Report. In the edition, 319 colleges are ranked as "Best Regional Colleges" according to geographic region (North, South, Midwest, West) with Catawba ranked 15th among 96 of these colleges in the South.
Highlights of these rankings are published in the magazine available this month on newsstands and available online at www.usnews.com/colleges.
In recent years, Catawba has inched up in the U.S. News rankings from 25th in 2006, to 23rd in 2007, and to 16th in 2008. Catawba's category in 2006 and 2007, formerly titled "Comprehensive Colleges – Bachelor's," was renamed "Baccalaureate Colleges" in 2008 by U.S. News "to better clarify the broad educational mission of these schools," according to the publication. Catawba was ranked 17th in the same category in the 2009 edition and 14th in this category in the 2010 edition (called "Baccalaureate Colleges" until this most recent 2011 edition).
According to U.S. News, regional colleges "focus almost entirely on undergraduate experience and offer a broad range of programs in the liberal arts (which account for fewer than half of all bachelor's degrees granted) and in fields such as business, nursing, and education."
U.S. News has made changes to the 2011 Best Colleges' ranking methodology and presentations. This year, schools are designated National Universities, National Liberal Arts Colleges, Regional Universities, and Regional Colleges. Numerical rank of the top 75 percent of schools in each category is displayed. For the first time, the opinions of high school guidance counselors are factors. Institutions of higher education included in the publication receive an overall performance score and a series of subscores. They are assessed by their peer institutions, ranked according to graduation and retention rates (six-year graduation rate and freshman retention rate), faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, alumni giving and high school counselor ratings of colleges.
Founded in 1933, the weekly national news magazine U.S.News & World Report is devoted to reporting and analyzing national and international affairs, politics, business, health, science, technology and social trends.
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