St. Norbert College Moves Up in National Liberal Arts Category of 2014 U.S. News Rankings

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From St. Norbert College, September 10, 2013
by Mike Counter, mike.counter@snc.edu, 920-403-3089

The 2014 U.S. News & World Report rankings have just been released and St. Norbert College is once again named one of "America's Best National Liberal Arts Colleges." St. Norbert is listed in the top tier and moved up four spots from 138 to 134. The college is also among the top 10 Catholic colleges in that category.

"We appreciate this recognition and are proud to be among the nation's best liberal arts colleges," said President Thomas Kunkel. "It's our mission to graduate outstanding citizens who make a difference in the lives of others."

For 18 years, U.S. News & World Report ranked St. Norbert College among the top comprehensive colleges in the Midwest. For the last seven years the college has been listed among the nation's best liberal arts colleges. The change came following St. Norbert College's reclassification in 2006 by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching -- an independent policy and research center that partners with U.S. News & World Report for its rankings.

Several factors help account for the college's ranking. Its freshman retention rate is 83 percent, its graduation rate (75 percent) exceeds by 7 percent the predicted rate (68 percent) based on the college's student body. Peer assessment, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources and alumni giving are also key factors.
"We continue to build upon the St. Norbert College student experience--we've enhanced our honors program, expanded our community outreach and have, with donor support, invested $100 million in new or renovated facilities in the last six years." said Kunkel. "We have a new state-of-the-art science facility currently being built that will house the Medical College of Wisconsin's Green Bay campus. Pair that with having one of the best graduation rates in the state of Wisconsin, and we have momentum at St. Norbert College."

U.S. News & World Report's "America's Best Colleges" guide can be found online at http://www.usnews.com. The guidebook will be on newsstands Tuesday, Sept. 24.

St. Norbert is also recognized as one of the Best Midwestern Colleges in the 2014 edition of The Princeton Review; is named as one of the best universities in the nation to learn, grow and succeed by Colleges of Distinction; and has been named to the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll.