8-19-2005
Contact: Amy Murray, (614) 292-8385
U.S. News ranks Ohio State as top public university in Ohio
Moves up to 21 nationally among America's top publics
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COLUMBUS –
U.S. News & World Report is again naming The Ohio State University as the state's best public university, and one of the nation's best public institutions. The university has moved up one spot to a tie for 21st among the nation's top 50 public universities in the magazine's special edition on America's best colleges.
The only other Ohio university included in the prestigious listing of top public universities is Miami University, in a two-way tie for 26.
In addition, the magazine ranks Ohio State at 60 when compared to all national universities, both public and private, an improvement over its ranking of 62 in last year's poll. The top 20 schools in the nation are all private. The only Ohio institution to be ranked higher than Ohio State in the overall list is Case Western Reserve University, which is private. It is tied with two other universities at 37.
The improved
U.S. News & World Report ranking is the university's second major indicator of institutional excellence to advance.
Earlier this month, the National Science Foundation ranked Ohio State as one of the top 10 public research universities in the country.
"Ohio State's continuing improvement in a number of recognized rankings of excellence raises the value of our students' diplomas," said President Karen A. Holbrook. "It also speaks well of the efforts of our faculty and our commitment to an academic plan that focuses the university on improving our academic reputation."
The
U.S. News ranking of Ohio State, which is based on 2004 statistics, notes improvement in several categories. The percentage of freshmen in the top 10 percent of their high school class increased from 33 to 34 percent, and freshman retention improved from 86 to 87 percent. (Freshman retention was below 80 percent in 1997.)
The continued improvement in freshman retention is due in large part to Ohio State's innovative First Year Experience (FYE) program, which U.S. News has listed for the fourth consecutive year as an outstanding example of a program that leads to student success. Ohio State's FYE program helps connect first-year students to the university and the larger community.
In addition to the overall institutional rankings, the magazine also annually ranks a small number of undergraduate programs in business and engineering. Among both private and public universities, Ohio State's Fisher College of Business was rated 18th best in the nation. Among public universities, the program is rated 11th.
Among private and public colleges whose highest degree is a Ph.D., Ohio State's College of Engineering is rated 27th overall and 15th among publics in the category.
The rankings are based on peer assessment (25 percent of the score); retention (20 percent); faculty resources (20 percent); student selectivity (15 percent); financial resources (10 percent); graduation rate performance (5 percent); and alumni giving rate (5 percent).
