From VMI Communications and Marketing:
Virginia Military Institute kept its place in the top rank of liberal arts colleges in the latest ranking released by U.S. News & World Report.
In the rankings released today (Aug. 22) VMI was ranked as the No. 3 public liberal arts college in the nation, coming in behind the U.S. Military Academy and the U.S. Naval Academy. This is the same position VMI held last year, when federal service academies were added to that category for the first time. For the previous six years, VMI held the No. 1 position.
VMI also held onto its position of 71 among all liberal arts colleges – both public and private – in the nation, putting it firmly in the 1st Tier of colleges nationwide. This equals the highest ranking VMI has ever held among all colleges.
“Our consistent, performance in the top tier continues to validate our commitment to ensure the excellence of VMI’s academic program,” said Col. William J. Stockwell, acting deputy superintendent and dean of the faculty. “This is a tribute to the quality and dedication of our faculty and staff and their extraordinary efforts to provide the finest education for our cadets.”
U.S. News considers such factors as a college’s reputation as rated by academic leaders nationally; the retention of students; class size; the quality of the faculty; the quality of students; financial resources; graduation rate performance; and the alumni giving rate.
VMI’s engineering programs were once again included in the magazine’s list of the nation’s best undergraduate engineering programs at schools whose highest degree is a bachelor’s or master’s degree. The Institute placed No. 21 on that list this year, up from last year’s ranking of 25th. The rankings in the engineering category are based exclusively on the reputation of the program.
Earlier this month, VMI ranked as No. 9 in Forbes Magazine’s list of America’s Best Public Colleges, just behind such institutions as the U.S. Military Academy, the University of Virginia, the College of William and Mary, but ahead of many other well-respected schools.
