St. Scholastica again earns "Best of" Rating from the U.S. News & World Report

DULUTH, MN - The College of St. Scholastica is once again rated one of America's "Best Colleges" by U.S. News & World Report magazine.

U.S. News & World Report's "Best Colleges" rankings for 2013 list St. Scholastica 27^th among institutions in the Best Regional Universities - Midwest region. The survey defines the category as institutions that provide a full range of undergraduate majors and master's programs but few doctoral programs.

The category includes schools in 12 states stretching from the Dakotas in the west to Missouri in the south and Ohio in the east.

"We are pleased that we continue to be highly ranked within the top-tier of regional universities in the Midwest," said Dr. Beth Domholdt, vice president for academic affairs at St. Scholastica. "In addition, our recognition as an 'A+ School for B Students' reflects our commitment to serving a wide range of students really well, from those at the very top of their high school class to those with solid, but less spectacular high school records."

The 'A+ School for B Students' category considers the school's performance in the Best Colleges rankings and the average freshman retention rate, that is, the percentage of freshmen who return for their sophomore year. 

Nationwide, the 2013 Best Colleges survey examines how about 1,400 accredited colleges and universities compare on a set of widely accepted indicators of excellence. Among the factors weighed in determining the rankings are assessment by administrators at peer institutions, retention of students, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources and alumni giving.

The College of St. Scholastica is an independent private college offering programs in the liberal arts and sciences and professional career fields. Ninety-seven percent of graduates are employed within career fields or graduate school within six months of graduation.  St. Scholastica has been called a "hidden gem" by The Washington Post. For more information, visit www.css.edu.