Winthrop is ranked eighth among Southern public universities and is in the top 25
of public and private institutions in the region. The rankings were released on Sept. 10.
ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA — Listed as one of the South's top 10 public regional universities
that convey bachelor's and master's degrees in the 2019 U.S. News & World Report's
edition of "America's Best Colleges." Winthrop University is recognized by its peers
for its strong commitment to undergraduate teaching.
The Rock Hill, South Carolina, campus is ranked eighth among Southern public universities
and is in the top 25 of public and private institutions in the region. The rankings
were released on Sept. 10.
Winthrop President Dan Mahony said the university is proud that Winthrop continues to garner praise for the outstanding
education it provides to its students. "Winthrop has a long tradition of high quality
teaching and strong focus on providing a well-rounded student-centered experience,"
he said. "This includes our emphasis on civic engagement opportunities, undergraduate
and graduate research, and global awareness. We are able to consistently produce graduates
who can thrive in an increasingly complex world."
These key measurements of students in the report show Winthrop's commitment to academics:
The average first-year student retention rate is 75 percent.
The student/faculty ratio remained at 14:1.
Almost half of Winthrop's classes have 20 students or less.
U.S. News' survey asked institutions which of its peers had the best undergraduate teaching. In this
category, Winthrop was ranked in the top 15 of public and private schools in the South.
In addition, Winthrop appears on the list of Best Colleges for Veterans. Winthrop
has created the University College Academic Advising office to serve those students
throughout their college careers. In fall 2017, Winthrop had 118 students who identified
as veterans, active duty or in the reserves.
Many of Winthrop's new students come to campus as outstanding high school students.
More than one-fifth of Winthrop freshmen were in the top 10 percent of their high
school class and more than half were in the top 25 percent of their high school class.
The U.S. News college rankings group schools based on categories created by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement
of Teaching and are frequently relied upon by students and parents considering higher
education opportunities. U.S. News surveys colleges and universities each year and
ranks nearly 1,400 of them in different categories.
Winthrop has consistently received a variety of third-party endorsements for its academic
quality and success. Earlier this month, Princeton Review listed the university among best Southeastern colleges and noted its diverse student body and beautiful campus. Also, Money Magazine touted Winthrop in its "Best Colleges for Your Money 2018."
Last year, Winthrop was prominently mentioned in the spring 2017 Education Trust national report, "A Look at Black Student Success: Identifying Top- and Bottom-Performing Institutions,"
that identified leading higher education institutions with high rates of graduation
success among minority populations. Winthrop was second in a list of top-performing
schools.
For more information, contact Judy Longshaw, news and media services manager, at 803/323-2404 or e-mail her at longshawj@winthrop.edu.
