St. Edward’s ranks 13th in Western region
St. Edward’s University has jumped two spots and is now ranked 13th among universities in the western region, according to U.S. News and World Report.
This is the 12th year that St. Edward’s has been recognized as one of America’s best colleges and for the past four years has been steadily moving up the ranks.
President of St. Edward’s, George Martin, cites graduation, class sizes and retention rates as three factors that play a major part of the university having consistently high rankings. More importantly, Martin emphasizes that it is the schools commitment to academic excellence and the representation of a diverse, intelligent student body that really makes St. Edward’s stand out against other schools.
“St. Edward’s is very careful to provide education to all students who are deserving of admission, and that is very much part of the mission of the university; to make sure that all students, no matter what their background, have access to higher education,” Martin said.
Though St. Edward’s has a high retention rate and aims to offer excellence to student’s academic and overall experience, these are not looked upon and taken into consideration in the rankings. However, it is the small details such as the people, the energy and the supportive community around campus that are often the deciding factors for prospective students seeking the best educational and all-round experience.
“I got to come here because the university provided me with scholarships,” freshmen Duncan Breda said. “But once I visited, I was really sold on the school itself: especially the people here and [the school’s] proximity to the city.”
Many students such as Breda experience the same initial feeling on their first campus visit. Dylan Ramos, also a freshman, said the friendly feeling played a big role in him committing to the school.
“I love the close-knit community,” Ramos said. “Everyone is friendly; the staff and the advisors were super helpful and they made me feel comfortable here.”
For current students like Breda and Ramos, the school is continuing to go above and beyond to ensure that the college experience is much more that just attending classes and doing homework, but making memories and friends that will last a lifetime.
