UMF named ‘Best College’ by U.S.News & World Report for 16th consecutive year

FARMINGTON - The University of Maine at Farmington has received national recognition for the sixteenth consecutive year by U.S.News & World Report as one of the “Best Colleges 2013”. According to the U.S.News annual college rankings released Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2012, UMF has secured fifth place in its geographic region “Top Public Regional Colleges” in the North.

In the overall ranking of both public and private regional colleges in the north, UMF has captured seventeenth place.

UMF has also been recognized by U.S.News as a “Great School at a Great Price” for the second consecutive year. With this classification the U.S.News statistical survey identifies those national and regional colleges and universities that it has determined offer students the best value. UMF ranks ninth of regional colleges in the north with this distinction and is the only public college in the 12 states in this northeast region to appear in this category.

“This year’s ranking of UMF by U.S.News as a ‘Best College’ serves as yet another milestone in our nearly 150-year history that shows our continuing commitment to providing access to an affordable, quality education,” said Kathryn A. Foster, UMF president.

“National recognition of UMF for 16 straight years confirms what our faculty, staff, students, and alumni are all so proud of,” said Foster. “UMF is a true gem in public higher education.”

The 2013 U.S.News & World Report rankings include more than 1,300 accredited four-year colleges and universities throughout the country. The “Best Regional Colleges” category, in which UMF appears, includes 370 colleges that focus on the undergraduate experience and offer a broad range of programs in the liberal arts and professional studies such as business, nursing and education.

U.S.News & World Report ranks schools in four geographic regions: North, South, Midwest and West. UMF’s region (North) is a geographic area that includes all six New England states plus New York; New Jersey; Pennsylvania; Maryland; Delaware; and Washington, D.C. The colleges and universities in each category are ranked against their peer group in each geographic area.

UMF achieves its national reputation for academic excellence by creating a student-centered environment. Small classes which emphasize more in-depth learning, a low student-to-faculty ratio, and valuable outside-the-classroom learning opportunities are the keys to its success. Enrollment is intentionally limited to 2,000 students to provide the ideal size for a quality academic experience.

Featured in the American Association for Higher Education publication, “Student Success in College: Creating Conditions that Matter,” UMF was cited as one of 20 model universities and described as an “especially instructive example of a school that is committed to maximizing student potential so that students leave college different in desired ways.”

“UMF has a well-earned reputation for offering a quality education at an affordable price,” said Foster. We remain focused on academic excellence, student success both in and out of the classroom, and a promise that every UMF student will graduate prepared for career success and civic engagement.”

The public release of the rankings was made online today (September 12) for U.S.News & World Report’s college guide “Best Colleges 2013” (usnews.com). The Best Colleges 2013 guidebook will be in stores on September 18 and is available at the online U.S.News Store.