Southern Wesleyan among best regional universities

Southern Wesleyan University is listed as one of the best regional universities in the South in the 2011 edition of “America’s Best Colleges,” compiled by U.S. News & World Report.

The university rated a four-way tie for #87 in Tier I of the Regional Universities (South) category. The exclusive rankings, which include more than 1,400 schools nationwide, will also be published in the September issue of the U.S. News & World Report magazine.

“We are gratified whenever the quality of our academic programs is recognized publicly,” said Dr. Keith Iddings, provost and vice president for academic affairs. “Although Southern Wesleyan University does not consciously seek to design its programs to gain a favorable rating by publications such as ‘U.S. News & World Report,’ our efforts to continually improve student learning, even among underserved populations, do occasionally result in such public notice. It is an excellent staff of committed educators that makes this possible.”

Over the past two decades, the magazine’s college rankings, which group schools based on categories created by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, has grown to be the most comprehensive research tool for students and parents considering higher education opportunities.

The 2011 “Best Colleges” features the established rankings of the Best National Universities and Best National Liberal Arts Colleges, while also including rankings of A+ Schools for B Students, Great Schools at Great Prices and Up-and-Coming Schools, among others.

The rankings examine how accredited four-year schools compare on a set of up to 16 widely accepted indicators of excellence. Among the many factors weighed in determining the rankings, the key measures of quality are: peer assessment, graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, alumni giving and, for National Universities and National Liberal Art Colleges, “graduation rate performance” and high school counselor ratings of colleges.

Southern Wesleyan University prepares students for leadership and graduate study in such fields as religion, education, music, business, medicine, law and a variety of civic and social service professions. Southern Wesleyan offers 40 major areas of study for undergraduates and graduate degrees in the areas of business, education and ministry. The university’s main campus is in Central and there are regional learning centers across the state, in locations such as Greenville, Columbia, Charleston and North Augusta. For details on Southern Wesleyan University, visit www.swu.edu.

For details about “Best Colleges,” visit www.usnews.com/colleges.