U.S. News ranks CLU 18th in West
University has placed in top 20 for 15 years
(THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – Aug. 20, 2009) California Lutheran University is ranked 18th on the 2010 U.S. News & World Report list of top schools in the West offering bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
CLU has placed among the top tier of Western Regional Universities for 15 years.
The new rankings were posted today on the U.S. News & World Report Web site at http://www.usnews.com and will be featured in the September edition of U.S. News & World Report magazine and the “2010 America’s Best Colleges” guidebook.
In the U.S. News report, CLU maintained a spot in the top tier of institutions in 15 Western states based on high scores in the categories measured. CLU’s overall score increased over its 2009 assessment. The categories in which CLU showed improvement include its rating by the country’s top academics and average freshman retention and graduation rates. CLU’s selectivity also increased with improvements in freshman SAT scores and the percent of freshmen in the top 25 percent of their high school class as well as a decrease in the university’s acceptance rate.
“As we begin to celebrate the 50th anniversary of CLU’s founding, these results show that we continue to build on our academic success,” said CLU President Chris Kimball. “Our emphasis on retaining and graduating students and providing a high quality educational experience has enhanced our reputation among students and the higher education community.”
In Forbes.com’s America’s Best Colleges 2009 report released Aug. 5, CLU ranked 210th among all private and public undergraduate institutions in the U.S., an increase over its 2008 ranking of 251. The Forbes report was compiled in conjunction with the Center for College Affordability and Productivity as an alternative to the U.S. News rankings. It uses different criteria and ranks institutions based on the quality of education they provide and students’ experience and achievements. It doesn’t break the rankings into subcategories. The report is available at http://www.forbes.com.