 "Photo: www.ucf.edu")
As UCF enrollment increases, so does national recognition. Now, the university is a school-to-watch, according to a new report published this week.
Tuesday, UCF earned the No. 4 slot in U.S. News & World Report's "Up-and-Coming Schools" best college rankings for 2012.
According to the report, the rankings recognize universities that show promising and positive changes in academics, faculty, students and campus life. Clemson University in South Carolina also tied for fourth.
"This ranking truly represents the overall quality, depth and breadth of all our programs at the university," Grant Heston, assistant vice president of UCF News & Information, said.
UCF is the only Florida school ranked in the top 5. The University of South Florida came in four spots later at No. 8.
"The university is a great school for academics and campus life," freshman nursing pending major Amanda Serafin said. "I knew when I chose to come to school here I would get the best education."
Along with the up-and-coming list, UCF also stood out among 1,300 other schools, earning a spot among the top 100 public universities by coming in at No. 97.
"I think more people are really becoming aware of the academics UCF has to offer," Serafin said. "The university really has a lot to choose from for all of its students."
The annual report's ranking comes just weeks after UCF's brightest freshman class began their first fall semester. With a school-record 74 National Merit Scholars and a freshman class average SAT score of 1249, the rise in academic reputation is one of many contributing factors to the results.
Jennifer Coliton, a freshman elementary education major, came to UCF from Chicago. Coliton said the university's academics and the College of Education programs were the main contributing factors to her choice to go to school out-of-state.
"A lot of people in Florida don't really realize how great the university is becoming or they think it's almost second-rate," she said. "People up north are hearing about UCF, though, and the school is starting to become known as one that's hard to get into."
Coliton said that with UCF's average GPA for admissions becoming significantly higher in combination with a good campus, she thinks the rankings accurately reflect the school's success.
"Our name is definitely getting out there," she said.
UCF is no stranger to nods from U.S. News & World Report. Back in March, the university received recognition for its graduate-level academics. Education, engineering, health care management and public administration were among several UCF graduate programs that made the top 100.
"Recognition for our programs brings more attention from potential applicants and a better selection of applicants leads to stronger student cohorts in our graduate programs," Dr. Patricia Bishop, vice provost and dean of the College of Graduate Studies, said in an email.
Heston echoed Bishop's sentiments.
"[The recognition] highlights all that we offer — the saying ‘a rising tide raises all boats' comes to mind," Heston said. "When one program succeeds, all others are lifted up as well."
Heston said that the recent rankings are just scratching the surface as far as recognition.
"[The results] show a growing, national reputation where we value the contributions of our faculty, staff and students," he said. "The rankings speak highly of where we are now, what we've done in the past and show the potential for our future."
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