U.S. News & World Report Ranks Rollins College First in the South

Rollins College ranks number one among 118 regional universities in the South in the annual rankings of “America’s Best Colleges,” released by U.S. News & World Report. This is the sixth consecutive year that Rollins has been named to the top spot in this category. For 10 consecutive years prior, Rollins had been ranked second among regional universities in the South and first in Florida.  

In the category of “Best Regional Universities” (schools that provide a full range of undergraduate and master’s-level programs), Rollins ranked first in the South, while Elon University, Elon, N.C., ranked second and James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Va., and Stetson University, DeLand, Fla., tied for third. Rollins has been included among the top regional universities since the ranking of the nation’s top schools began in 1987. 

In the category of “A Strong Commitment to Teaching,” Rollins ranked in the top five in the South for its faculty’s unusual commitment to undergraduate teaching. Rollins was also ranked in the top five in the South in the “Great Schools, Great Prices” category for offering the best value, which relates academic quality with the net cost of attendance for a student who receives the average level of financial aid. 

“We are especially pleased that Rollins has been recognized for our dedication to providing the highest-quality education,” said Rollins President Lewis Duncan. “Undoubtedly, Rollins’ success is a product of the outstanding efforts of our faculty and staff.”

From small classes to great faculty, the rankings may seem to speak for themselves. But they don't really tell the whole story of what sets Rollins apart from its closest competitors ... and some of the most renowned universities in the country.

At 69 percent, Rollins College has a higher percentage of courses with an enrollment less than 20 of any school ranked among the top 10 in the South. Rollins also has a higher percentage of courses with an enrollment of less than 20 than Stanford University (68%), Cornell University (56%), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (65%), Dartmouth College (64%) and Johns Hopkins University (67%).

At 94 percent, Rollins has a higher percentage of full-time faculty than Princeton University (92%), Yale University (88%), the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (90%), the University of Pennsylvania (84%), Columbia University (92%) and Dartmouth (92%).

Highlights of the college rankings will be published in the September issue of U.S. News & World Report, available on newsstands August 31. The 2011 Best Colleges guidebook will be on newsstands August 24.