Joining the List of “New Ivies”

In upstate New York, right off Lake Ontario and halfway between Buffalo and Syracuse, sits my alma mater, the University of Rochester. The U of R, or UR as most call it, has been one of those hidden gems that we all knew was an excellent institution, but never made a huge splash in the college rankings scene. However, the University got a bout of great news yesterday, and the official press release is reprinted below.

University of Rochester Named To Two Top College Rankings

Two highly respected national magazines have ranked the University of Rochester among the nation’s top 25 institutions.

The University of Rochester was one of only 25 schools named a “New Ivy” in the 2007 Kaplan/Newsweek “How to Get into College Guide.” The elite list, produced for the very first time, includes institutions whose first-rate academic programs and top students rival traditional Ivy League schools. The rankings are based on admissions statistics as well as interviews with administrators, students, faculty, and alumni.

The University of Rochester also placed 21st on The Washington Monthly College Rankings list. The list, presented for only the second time by the political magazine, includes institutions that The Washington Monthly believes are “benefiting the country.” The rankings take into account how a school contributes to social mobility by helping the poor improve their economic standing. Other criteria include the institution’s support for research in the humanities and in the sciences and its promotion of an ethic of service to country.

About the University of Rochester

The University of Rochester (www.rochester.edu) is one of the nation’s leading private universities. Located in Rochester, N.Y., the University’s environment gives students exceptional opportunities for interdisciplinary study and close collaboration with faculty. Its College of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering is complemented by the Eastman School of Music, Simon School of Business, Warner School of Education, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, and Schools of Medicine and Nursing.

The Ivy League is an “athletic conference comprising eight private institutions of higher education located in the Northeastern United States.” Sure, it may not sound all that exciting, but Ivy League schools are generally among the top 20 colleges in rankings and boast having the top 1% of endowments worldwide. Lacking the comprehension of any other well-regarded ranking systems, being known as Ivy League is a universally understood and well-regarded distinction.

Now, enter the “New Ivies”. These schools, with the U of R included, are a result of an increase in worldwide demand for excellent educations on both big and small campuses that provide great academics and first-rate faculties.

You can read the whole “New Ivy” article and see which other schools earned the distinction on Newsweek’s site.