Good News

August 20, 2009

Local schools shine for higher degrees

The University of Scranton again makes the top 10 in magazine’s rankings, tying for seventh place in 11-state region.

By Andrew M. Seder aseder@timesleader.com
Times Leader Staff Writer
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Five local schools made the top 100 master’s universities of the North rankings that appear in the latest edition of “America’s Best Colleges” published by U.S. News & World Report. The full lists will be made public online and in print today.

Master’s level schools are those that do what the name implies – offer master’s degrees, but have few, if any, doctoral programs.

The University of Scranton tied with Ithaca College in New York State at seventh in the region that includes 11 states from Maryland through New England.

King’s College in Wilkes-Barre ranked 38; Misericordia University in Dallas Township came in 45th; Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre garnered a 59th place position and Marywood University in Scranton is listed 62nd.

Villanova University in Philadelphia led the list.

The magazine offers multiple rankings and some schools may place in all, some or none of them. In The University of Scranton’s case, it made three other Northern master’s universities lists: Up and coming schools, fourth; strong commitment to teaching, third; and great schools, great prices, 10th.

“Our students and alumni have long benefited from the extraordinary passion for teaching that our faculty display. It is gratifying that our peers also recognize their commitment,” said the Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., president of The University of Scranton. “We are equally proud of Scranton’s listing among the select group of 80 up-and-coming schools in the nation, which validates the transformational changes we have made and continue to make on campus.”

This is the 16th consecutive year The University of Scranton made the top 10 rankings for master’s universities of the North, according to school spokesman Stan Zygmunt. Scranton ranked ninth in the 2009 edition. The accolades follow others the Jesuit school has received this year. Earlier this month Forbes.com listed Scranton among “America’s Best Colleges 2009” and the Princeton Review listed Scranton among “The Best 371 Colleges” in the nation.

Misericordia University President Michael A. MacDowell praised the ranking and said the university continually makes strides to improve for its students. But one college official said the rankings shouldn’t be accepted as a complete picture of what goes on at each school.

“Although the U.S. News & World Report’s America’s Best Colleges edition is a widely accepted process, the final rankings come down to a numerical calculation of several pieces of data,” said Jim Roberts, director of marketing communications at Misericordia University. “Many college students say they choose a college because it is the right fit for them. Numerical calculations can be used as a guide, but they certainly cannot paint the whole picture of a college or university.”

Finding its way onto the list of the top 64 baccalaureate colleges of the north is Keystone College. It was ranked between 50th and 64th. Schools outside the top 31 by region are ranked by tiers alphabetically. These institutions focus on undergraduate education and offer a range of degree programs—in the liberal arts, which account for fewer than half of their bachelor’s degrees, and in professional fields such as business, nursing, and education, according to the report.

In the overall American college rankings perennial contenders Harvard and Princeton share the top spot. Last year, Princeton had surrendered the top spot to Harvard after eight straight years at least tied for No. 1. This year the Ivy League rivals are followed by No. 3 Yale and a four-way tie for No. 4: Cal Tech, MIT, Stanford and the University of Pennsylvania.

AREA SCHOOLS ON LIST

7: University of Scranton

38: King’s College

45: Misericordia University

59: Wilkes University

62: Marywood University

Andrew M. Seder, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 570-829-7269.

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