Catawba College is one of the nation's 320 best baccalaureate colleges according to the 2008 edition of "America's Best Colleges," published by U.S.News & World Report. These baccalaureate colleges are ranked according to geographic region (North, South, East, West) with Catawba ranked 16th in the South.

These rankings are published in the magazine's August 27 issue, available on newsstands Monday, August 20, and available online at www.usnews.com/colleges.

For the past three years, Catawba has consistently inched up in the 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.

According to U.S.News, baccalaureate colleges "focus on undergraduate education and offer a range of degree programs – in the liberal arts, which account for fewer than half of their bachelor's degrees, and in professional fields such as business, nursing, and education."

Using a proprietary methodology, the annual U.S.News & World Report rankings represent the most comprehensive look at how schools stack up based on a set of 15 widely accepted indicators of excellence, and help consumers evaluate and compare data compiled from more than 1,400 accredited four-year schools. Institutions of higher education which are included in the publication receive an overall performance score and a series of subscores.   They are ranked by their peer institutions, and ranked according to average freshman retention rate, average graduation rate, the percentage of classes under 20, the percentage of classes of 50 or more, the student to faculty ratio, the percentage of faculty who are full time, their students' SAT/ACT scores in the 25th to 75th percentile, the number of freshmen in the top 25% of their high school class, acceptance rates, and according to the average alumni giving rate.

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.

Catawba College is one of the nation's 320 best baccalaureate colleges according to the 2008 edition of "America's Best Colleges," published by U.S.News & World Report. These baccalaureate colleges are ranked according to geographic region (North, South, East, West) with Catawba ranked 16th in the South.

These rankings are published in the magazine's August 27 issue, available on newsstands Monday, August 20, and available online at www.usnews.com/colleges.

For the past three years, Catawba has consistently inched up in the 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.

According to U.S.News, baccalaureate colleges "focus on undergraduate education and offer a range of degree programs – in the liberal arts, which account for fewer than half of their bachelor's degrees, and in professional fields such as business, nursing, and education."

Using a proprietary methodology, the annual U.S.News & World Report rankings represent the most comprehensive look at how schools stack up based on a set of 15 widely accepted indicators of excellence, and help consumers evaluate and compare data compiled from more than 1,400 accredited four-year schools. Institutions of higher education which are included in the publication receive an overall performance score and a series of subscores.   They are ranked by their peer institutions, and ranked according to average freshman retention rate, average graduation rate, the percentage of classes under 20, the percentage of classes of 50 or more, the student to faculty ratio, the percentage of faculty who are full time, their students' SAT/ACT scores in the 25th to 75th percentile, the number of freshmen in the top 25% of their high school class, acceptance rates, and according to the average alumni giving rate.

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.