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Loyola breaks into the Top 100 list
Loyola University Chicago is No. 99 on the latest U.S. News & World Report college rankings—the first time ever that the University has cracked the Top 100 list.
With 1,376 schools included in the latest rankings, the new list puts Loyola in elite company among national universities. Loyola is also one of only four universities in Illinois to break into the Top 100 this year.
Just a few years ago, the University was ranked No. 119 on the list.
“Over the past few years, Loyola has placed a strong emphasis on the quality of the undergraduate educational experience,” Interim President John P. Pelissero, PhD, said. “I believe that our efforts were noticed by our peers, high school counselors, and prospective students.”
Among the recent efforts, Pelissero said, are improved strategies to increase student retention and graduation rates; a new Loyola Experience program to help students get the most out of their education; and a revised Core Curriculum. The University also has added faculty and is using more full-time professors to teach its Core and introductory courses.
Students and faculty were quick to rally behind the new ranking.
“I feel that we’re finally getting the recognition we deserve for our academics,” said Veronica Krysa, a senior majoring in marketing and management. “It definitely feels nice to be in the Top 100.”
Quinlan School of Business Professor Nenad Jukić, who has been teaching at Loyola since 1999, agreed.
“This is a validation of all the great work we do with students here,” said Jukić, the 2014 Faculty Member of the Year. “I am not at all surprised that we are one of the best universities in the country. We absolutely belong in the Top 100. I can honestly look at any parent and tell them, ‘This is a great place to send your child.’ ”
The U.S. News & World Report rankings take into account several factors, from student retention and graduation rates to peer assessments by fellow university administrators. The rankings are divided into four categories: National Universities, National Liberal Arts Colleges, Regional Universities, and Regional Colleges.
Loyola is grouped with other national universities, which offer a full range of undergraduate majors, plus master’s and doctoral programs. These universities also emphasize faculty research.
And while U.S. News & World Report stresses that its rankings shouldn’t be the only thing students use when deciding on a university, the organization does say “our rankings can be a powerful tool in (the) quest for the right college.”
Click here for an explanation of the methodology used to create the rankings.
