UVM ranked 92 of top 100 colleges

UVM’s not out for the count quite yet.

The University shifted down the list, but still ranks in the top 100 best universities in the country, according to the U.S.News & World Report.

Considered to be a “more selective school” by the magazine, UVM earned a spot at number 92 out of the top 287 universities nationwide, 10 spots lower than last year.

UVM Spokesman Enrique Corredera told the Burlington Free Press in a written statement that the University was pleased with the results of the rankings.

Corredera stated in the article that the University was not concerned with small fluctuations in data, which can appear as significant changes in rank, but rather on more substantial methods of evaluating a school. He cited the example that UVM was ranked 92 this year, 82 in 2011 and 94 in 2010.

“Our focus … is on continuously improving the University’s academic quality and delivering an outstanding student experience,” he stated in the article.  

The University was also ranked at 40 among the top 172 public universities in the nation, according to U.S.News & World Report.

U.S.News & World Report has been publishing reports on America’s best colleges annually since 1985. These reports rank national universities and their grad schools in various categories. 

Educational experts use a formula when ranking colleges, taking into account indicators such as academic quality and the university’s  education standards, according to the U.S.News & World Report website.

Some of these indicators include graduation rates, freshman retention and student to faculty ratios.

“I don’t think the ranking system is a good representation of UVM as a whole,” first-year Joy Levine said. “It’s just a number, and this is still a great school.”

Some students, like first-year Maggie McCarthy, said they don’t know why UVM would move down the list.

“I don’t put too much stock in these things,” McCarthy said.

Sophomore Jeffrey Sweedler agreed.

“As long as we’re in the top 100, it’s all good,” Sweedler said.