Friday, September 13, 2002

WIMINGTON, N.C. – UNC Wilmington has retained its place among the top 10 public universities in the South in the latest college rankings by U. S. News & World Report.

Among the public universities in the South, UNCW is ranked seventh behind James Madison University, The Citadel, Appalachian State University, College of Charleston, Murray State University and UNC Charlotte. A complete report of the rankings can be viewed online at www.usnews.com or in the newsstand book America’s Best Colleges and Sept. 23 issue of U.S. News & World Report, both of which go on sale on Monday, Sept. 16.

UNCW is in the “universities-master’s” category which includes those institutions that provide a full range of undergraduate and master’s level programs, but few, if any doctoral programs. U.S. News annually ranks 1,400 public and private universities and colleges across the country.

“The University of North Carolina at Wilmington is delighted that it has retained its position among the elite publicly supported comprehensive universities in the nation,” said Paul Hosier, interim provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. “While UNCW’s rating, as well as the high ratings achieved by its sister comprehensive institutions – UNC Charlotte and Appalachian State University – reflect well on the UNC system, we can not help but be concerned by the fact that 18 of the top 25 comprehensive institutions in the South are private schools.”

Hosier noted that “this statistic underscores the need for continued support for public institutions of higher learning if all citizens of North Carolina and the region are to enjoy access to a quality education. In the long run, the quality of life in North Carolina in all areas, not just economics, rests upon the ability of its citizens to depend upon such educational opportunities.”

Among both public and private institutions in the South, UNCW was number 24 out of 130 institutions. The ranking system is based on seven categories: peer assessment (25 percent), graduation and student retention rates (25 percent), faculty resources (20 percent), student selectivity (15 percent), financial resources (10 percent) and alumni giving (5 percent).

UNCW’s reputation for academic excellence continues to improve as it becomes the university of choice for a growing number of high school students; 7,650 students applied for admission this fall. This year’s enrollment totals 10,759 students. Among the 1,644 new freshmen in this fall’s class, the average SAT score was 1106 and their average GPA was 3.63.