Belmont drops in 2012 U.S. News rankings

Belmont University remained in U.S. News and World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges” rankings once again this year, according to the magazine’s report released Tuesday.

The university dropped from fifth to seventh in this year’s Best Regional Universities in the South rankings, falling behind Rollins College  and Elon, Stetson, Samford, The Citadel and James Madison Universities. This is the third consecutive year the university has placed in the top 10 in the annual rankings. Since 2003, the university has jumped from 21st to as high as fifth place in the rankings.

The university was once again called a “Up-and-Comer” school by the report, and is one of the top two schools in the South in that category. The university was also commended for its “promising and innovative changes in the areas of academics, faculty, student life, campus or facilities,” and its “unusually strong commitment to undergraduate teaching.”

President Dr. Bob Fisher was “humbled and honored” by this year’s report.

“These rankings are meaningful to me because they recognize the immense dedication and talents of Belmont’s faculty, staff, students, administrators and trustees who commit themselves daily to making this institution one of the finest in the country,” he said in a statement released Monday.

#Belmont #USNewsandWorldReport