Fairfield University earned high marks in the latest national college rankings report published yesterday by U.S. News and World Report. Fairfield University was named #2 in the Best Regional University North in the "Best Colleges 2013" rankings, tied with Loyola University Maryland. This is the second consecutive year Fairfield University has achieved the #2 position in the "Best Colleges" national rankings and the 22nd year that U.S. News & World Report has ranked Fairfield University in the top four among universities in the North with master's degree programs. In addition, the report ranks Fairfield University at #11 in the Great Schools at Great Prices list . U.S. News divides its national rankings into four regions, with the North region including universities in Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Washington, D.C.

"I am once again very pleased to see that Fairfield University has been recognized so highly by U.S. News and World Report in its ‘Best Colleges' national rankings report," said Paul J. Fitzgerald, S.J., senior vice president for academic affairs at Fairfield University. "The measures of the academic quality of the students we attract and our average graduation rates over the past several years attest to the quality of the experience our undergraduate students enjoy. Of course, some of the less tangible outcomes of a Jesuit education are not captured in these measures and can only be seen in the integrity of the lives our alumni live."

The U.S. News ranking system uses quantitative measures in applying its formula, and "it's based on our researched view of what matters in education," according to its website, which also notes: "The rankings allow you to compare at a glance the relative quality of institutions based on such widely accepted indicators of excellence as freshman retention, graduation rates, and the strength of the faculty."

According to the 2013 report, Fairfield University has improved in a variety of categories compared to last year, such as in percentage of classes under 20 (from 47 to 52), and in student-faculty ratio (from 12/1 to 11/1).

"Our focus on student success starts with our faculty who prize student learning as job one," said Fr. Fitzgerald. "It extends to the excellent advising, mentoring and tutoring our students receive from faculty, staff and student peers. It is deepened through undergraduate research projects and internships. And it is reflected in the high rates of employment or entrance into prestigious graduate schools that our graduates encounter."

Fairfield University, a Jesuit University located in Fairfield, Connecticut, is also featured in the Princeton Review's " The Best 376 Colleges, 2013 Edition," a listing based on the company's survey of over 100,000 college students. Student comments in the guide include: "Small class size, beautiful campus, approachable professor - it's perfect"; and "It was everything I wanted in my school."

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Volume: 45 Number: 45