The other schools that earned spots in the top five Best Regional Colleges in the South category include High Point University, Florida Polytechnic University, Wesleyan College and Catawba College.
“A number two spot in the U.S. News Best Regional Colleges in the South ranking is something every employee on this campus should be proud of,” Flagler College President John Delaney said. “This ranking system isn’t a catch-all in determining the quality of higher educational institutions, but it speaks to the effort we’ve put into making Flagler the best place we can for our current and future students to thrive.”
Flagler also earned a number 13 ranking out of 33 schools in the guide’s list of Best Value Schools and within the category is the top ranked college from Florida. In the Social Mobility ranking, Flagler landed in the 39th spot out of 99 schools. In both categories, Flagler is ranked among Regional Colleges in the South.
U.S. News defines regional colleges as those focusing on undergraduate education but granting fewer than half their degrees in liberal arts disciplines. The southern region encompasses Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, North Carolina, Alabama, Louisiana, Tennessee, West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky and Arkansas.
School rankings are based 80% on a formula that takes into account 17 areas of academic excellence each assigned distinct weights, according to its website. These areas include graduation and retention rates, social mobility, undergraduate academic reputation, faculty resources and financial resources per student. To add another dimension, the rankings are also based 20% on academic reputation judged through survey by peer leaders at colleges in the same regional grouping.
The Best Value rankings are based on four weighted indicators: ratio of quality to price, need-based aid, percent of need-based aid recipients awarded scholarships or grants and average discount. Ratio of quality to price holds a 50% weight in this calculation and is determined by dividing a school’s overall score in the Best Colleges rankings by the net cost of attendance for a full-time undergraduate receiving the average need-based financial aid award in scholarship or grants.
The Top Performers on Social Mobility category examines Pell Grant students’ six-year graduation rate and that rate against the performance of non-Pell Grant students. Students receiving Pell Grants generally come from households with total incomes less than $50,000 annually, with most grants awarded to students coming from households with total incomes less than $20,000 annually.
In August, Flagler College was also named one of the Best 388 Colleges and Best Regional Colleges by the Princeton Review in their 2023 guide.
The “U.S. News Best Colleges 2023 Guidebook” is available for pre-order now. The print edition will ship in late October.
