US News ranks Furman a ‘Most Innovative School’ 4th year in a row
September 17, 2020
U.S. News & World Report has ranked Furman University among the nation’s “Most Innovative Schools” for a fourth consecutive year, in addition to recognizing Furman again as a leader among peers and other universities in undergraduate teaching and undergraduate research, according to the 2021 U.S. News “Best Colleges Rankings.”
Furman has made the “Most Innovative Schools” list every year since launching The Furman Advantage in 2016, and ranked 14th this year among national liberal arts and sciences universities included in the list. For this ranking, U.S. News asks presidents, provosts and admissions deans to list the colleges or universities “that are making the most innovative improvements in terms of curriculum, faculty, students, campus life, technology or facilities.” Furman was ranked 5th in the list last year and 21st and 13th in the previous two years.
“Furman faculty and staff are pioneering new ways through The Furman Advantage to challenge and support our students and prepare them for meaningful and successful lives and careers,” said Furman President Elizabeth Davis. “The leaders of colleges and universities around the country are taking note and confirming not only the value of a Furman education but also our innovative approach to delivering this education.”
Overall, Furman tied for No. 52 in the “National Liberal Arts Colleges” ranking, placing it again in the top quarter of the 223 liberal arts and sciences colleges and universities ranked in this category. While this was a drop from a tie for 46th last year, Furman stayed even or improved in nearly all of the metrics used to determine the overall ranking, including increases in graduation rates, selectivity, first-year students in the top 10% of their high school class, and financial resources.
In other U.S. News rankings in the national liberal arts colleges category, Furman ranked No. 30 for “Best Undergraduate Teaching” and No. 3 for “Best College for Veterans.” The university moved up 30 spots this year to rank No. 69 as a “Best Value College.”
Among all colleges and universities in the U.S. News rankings, Furman ranked No. 33 for “Undergraduate Research” and No. 56 for “First-Year Experience,” as voted on by presidents, provosts and admissions deans who were asked to list “Academic Programs to Look For.”
In August, Furman was included again in The Princeton Review’s “Best 386 Colleges” guide, moving up in several of the annual publication’s individual rankings. The university rose two spots to No. 2 for “Most Politically Active Students,” five places to No. 12 for “Most Accessible Professors,” and one spot to No. 16 in the category of “Most Active Student Government.” This year, Furman also ranked No. 10 for “Best Classroom Experience” and No. 12 for “Best College Theater.”
Furman is among only 14% of America’s 2,800 four-year colleges to be profiled in The Princeton Review guide. Institutions are chosen based on data the company collects from college administrators and from surveys of students on various aspects of their campus experiences.
In February, for the second straight year, Furman ranked 9th in The Princeton Review’s list of “The Top 25 Best Schools for Making an Impact” in its “Best Value Colleges” guide, which includes the country’s top 200 universities with the best return on investment.
