After four years as the No. 1 Regional College in the South, Ouachita has moved up to a national ranking in U.S. News & World Report’s annual assessment of “America’s Best Colleges.”
“I am so pleased to see that we are one of only six schools to move to the national category and still be ranked in the top tier,” said Ouachita President Rex Horne. “After leading our region for years, we are now being recognized nationally. I expect as we become even better known across the nation that our ranking in the top tier will rise.”
Ouachita also is ranked nationally among “America’s Top Colleges” by Forbes magazine for the third year in a row. According to Forbes, the annual ranking of the nation’s top undergraduate schools “focuses on the things that matter the most to students: quality of teaching, great career prospects, graduation rates and low levels of debt.”
Ranked by U.S. News in the top tier among the Best National Liberal Arts Colleges, Ouachita is one of only three schools in Arkansas ranked in that category, along with Hendrix College and Lyon College. Additionally, Ouachita is the only national liberal arts college in Arkansas to be recognized as an “A+ School for B Students” and the only Arkansas school in any category recognized for being among colleges and universities with the least student debt.
Amid “tough economic times” throughout the nation, Dr. Horne affirmed Ouachita’s commitment to help students graduate with the least debt possible.
According to U.S. News, national liberal arts colleges “emphasize undergraduate education and award at least half their degrees in the arts and sciences, which include such disciplines as English, the biological sciences, physics, chemistry, history, political science, foreign languages, and the visual and performing arts.” Ouachita offers majors in seven academic schools in the disciplines of business, Christian studies, education, fine arts, humanities, natural sciences and social sciences.
Ouachita is “known as a strong academic institution in varied disciplines and academic programs,” President Horne said. “I want to thank our committed faculty, staff and students for their roles in Ouachita earning this recognition.”
Citing Ouachita’s “A+ School for B Students” ranking, Dr. Horne said, “That means while holding to high academic standards, we want all students to have an opportunity to earn a Ouachita education.”
Based on criteria provided by U.S. News, the A+ ranking features universities where B-level incoming students “have a decent shot at being accepted and thriving—where spirit and hard work could make all the difference.”
The national recognitions come as Ouachita also is experiencing significant enrollment growth. Ouachita officials have announced a 6 percent enrollment gain over the previous year and a 10 percent increase in student enrollment over the past two years. The university currently has 1,594 students enrolled from more than 30 states and 40 nations.
