U.S. News Ranks Washington University in Top 10

Aug. 22, 2003 -- Washington University in St. Louis - consistently ranked among America's 20 best national universities - is now ranked in the top 10. The university is tied with Dartmouth College for ninth place in undergraduate programs among the nation's best national universities, according to U.S. News & World Report magazine. It is the highest-ranked national university in the Midwest.

The top-20 national universities are:

1. (tie) Harvard University and Princeton University

3. Yale University

4. Massachusetts Inst. of Technology

5. (tie) California Institute of Technology, Duke University, Stanford University and University of Pennsylvania

9. (tie) Dartmouth College and Washington University in St. Louis

11. (tie) Columbia University and Northwestern University

13. University of Chicago

14. (tie) Cornell University and Johns Hopkins University

16. Rice University

17. Brown University

18. Emory University

19. (tie) University of Notre Dame and Vanderbilt University

Washington University rose from last year's tie for 12th among the 249 national universities rated by U.S. News. The tie for ninth is the best undergraduate ranking of the university by U.S. News since the publication began its rankings in the 1980s.

"It is rewarding to see the recognition of the outstanding quality of our university," said Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton. "The talented and creative students, faculty and staff are the key. Importantly, we have been supported and guided generously by those who preceded us and by those who are leading and supporting the Campaign for Washington University. I am excited about this year, our 150th anniversary, and I look forward to continuing our efforts to enhance the quality of the university and its value to the society we serve."

The U.S. News & World Report undergraduate rankings are derived from peer assessments by university CEOs, provosts and admissions deans, as well as from data gathered from each institution, and this data is broken down into categories and assigned a weight reflecting the magazine's judgment about which measures of quality matter most.

This year's results, to be published in the U.S. News issue due out the week of Aug. 25, rank the university as third in financial resources, 11th in faculty resources and ninth in both selectivity and alumni giving.

"I'm very proud of the Arts & Sciences faculty and staff, who have contributed so much to creating an exciting and fulfilling educational experience for our undergraduates," said Edward S. Macias, Ph.D., executive vice chancellor and dean of Arts & Sciences. "With our new curriculum, we've greatly expanded opportunities for our students by enhancing interdisciplinary studies, adding more small-group experiences with faculty, and emphasizing core skills, which are necessary for whatever field or career a graduate pursues."

The university's John M. Olin School of Business held its ranking as the 14th best business school among national universities, tied with two other schools. Olin ranks fifth in the nation among private business schools.

"We share in the delight of everyone at Washington University to be a top-10 school," said Stuart I. Greenbaum, Ph.D., dean of the Olin School of Business. "In our Sesquicentennial year, it inspires all of us at the Olin School to keep moving, keep growing and be the best."

The School of Engineering & Applied Science is ranked 38th, an increase of six spots. It is tied with 10 other schools, including Yale, Brown and Notre Dame.

"Moving up in rankings is only one benchmark among a number of them," said Christopher I. Byrnes, Ph.D., dean of the School of Engineering & Applied Science. "Those include quality and number of applicants, number of patents held by faculty, professional achievements and awards and student achievements, to name a few indicators of the stature of engineering."