UF Ranks 36th in ‘The Best Colleges’

The University of Florida (UF) ranked 36th in The Best Colleges 2011-2012 ranking, the first annual ranking of the top 50 colleges and universities in America, published by ‘The Best Colleges.’

Princeton University in Princeton, New Jersey tops the list. The full 2011-2012 ranking can be viewed at http://www.thebestcolleges.org/rankings/top-50.

UF has frequently been ranked in the top 50 by other major American rankings systems, including U.S. News & World Report, Forbes, Washington Monthly, Newsweek and Princeton Review.

“The Best Colleges Top 50 Colleges and Universities in America” goes beyond standard indicators of academic quality and student satisfaction considered by other major ranking systems, to also take into account indicators of a school’s total economic value and the quality of life of the city or town where the school is located.

In all, schools and their surrounding cities or towns were evaluated across a dozen (12) different data points. Private schools and public schools, liberal arts colleges and research universities were evaluated and ranked together, giving students and their parents a comprehensive view of the best places to pursue a college degree in America.

“By emphasizing economic value and quality of life, we not only offer a new angle from which to evaluate college options, but one particularly relevant to our current economic and educational situation,” said Micah Sparacio, Senior Editor at The Best Colleges.

“Students and their parents are watching their dollars more closely than ever and can’t afford to throw money away on an over-priced college degree that holds little promise of a future economic return,” said Jeremy Alder, Managing Editor at The Best Colleges and lead researcher on the project. “With the recognition of the importance of social networking for future career success and the fact that students are taking longer than ever to graduate, a college town’s quality of life in terms of affordability and the opportunity for relationships with other young, successful and highly educated people is seen as more important than ever.”

UF has also ranked high in international ranking systems like the Times Higher Education World University Rankings and Academic Ranking of World Universities. It has been recognized as one of the “Public Ivies”.