Wednesday, August 18th, 2010

West Virginia Wesleyan continues to rank among the state’s leaders in several categories that are emphasized in the 2011 edition of Best Colleges by U.S. News Media Group. The exclusive rankings, which include rankings of more than 1,400 schools nationwide, are available at www.usnews.com/colleges and will be published in the September issue of U.S. News and World Report, on newsstands starting August 31.

The 2011 Best Colleges package provides the most thorough examination of how more than 1,400 accredited four-year schools compare on a set of 16 widely accepted indicators of excellence.  Wesleyan is listed in the second tier of national liberal arts colleges.  The school’s statistics were among the top four in the state in several categories including retention rates, graduation rates, SAT/ACT scores and class rank of entering students, percentage of classes with 20 or less, admission acceptance rates, and alumni giving rates.  Wesleyan topped the class rank category with 28 percent of its entering students ranked in the top ten percent of their graduating class.

The private residential college has consistently ranked among the state leaders in the majority of U.S. News’ indicators of excellence.  Earlier this month, Wesleyan was again honored as a Best Southeastern College by the Princeton Review and was included in College Access and Opportunity, a college guidebook that recognizes colleges and universities for their support programs, commitment to diversity, and financial accessibility.  Last spring, the College was one of 115 colleges and universities in the country to be named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with Distinction, the highest federal recognition a college or university can receive for its commitment to volunteering, service-learning, and civic-engagement.

Wesleyan is expecting another increase in enrollment this fall.  Over half of its 2010 entering students have a high school grade point average of 3.5 or above.  The College offers 43 majors and nearly 40 minors along with graduate programs in athletic training, business administration, education, English writing, and nursing.