Boston College was ranked 31st among national universities for the second consecutive year in the 2013 U.S. News and World Report rankings.
“Once again, Boston College has been ranked among the country’s best universities by U.S. News and World Report, and I am pleased that the accomplishments of our faculty and University community have been recognized,” said Cutberto Garza, provost and dean of faculties, in a release by the Office of News and Public Affairs.
BC received especially high marks in admission selectivity, with a fall 2011 admission rate of 28 percent. In addition, the University received a 4.5 out of 5 score from high school guidance counselors, who rank the quality of an undergraduate education from various universities.
BC also boasted a high freshman retention rate of 95 percent, which U.S. News considers “an indicator of student satisfaction.” In addition, 24 percent of students at BC are involved in service learning, according to the U.S. News report, a number that far surpasses the average. BC’s general academic reputation also contributed significantly to the ranking.
“It is noteworthy that despite the fluctuations that have been part of the financial and higher education landscape of the last several years, BC has seen steady improvements in its academic reputation,” Garza said.
According to the report, 52 percent of BC’s classes have 20 or fewer students, and only 6 percent have more than 50. These numbers are in part due to a specific effort to limit class size at BC.
“Our collective commitment to increase the number of smaller classes at the University was key, and I congratulate all who were involved in this effort,” Garza said.
BC was also ranked 39th on the “Great Schools at Great Prices” list, and the Carroll School of Management remained 24th on the “Best Undergraduate Business Schools” list.
Garza was pleased with the University’s ranking and stated his hope that BC will continue to improve as a whole.
“We remain determined to press forward and serve our students with the energy and dedication they deserve, and we believe that families are responding as more and more of them seek to be a part of the BC experience,” Garza said.
