Villanova #1 in “Great Schools, Great Prices”

Engineering Program Ranked #9 Nationwide

Villanova Recognized for Quality of First-Year Student Experience

VILLANOVA, Pa., August 17, 2010 – Villanova University has again earned #1 placement in the Regional University–North category in U.S.News & World Report’s annual “America’s Best Colleges” rankings, which will hit newsstands August 24. Villanova has held this top spot for nearly two decades.

U.S.News & World Report also has ranked Villanova #1 in the Regional University–North category for “Great Schools, Great Prices.” This ranking is determined by a school’s academic quality in relation to the net cost of attendance for a student who receives the average level of need-based financial aid. According to U.S. News, “the higher the quality of the program and the lower the cost, the better the deal.”

Villanova University’s College of Engineering has earned the #9 spot in the nation in the “Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs” category among schools whose highest degree is a bachelor's or master's. This section of the ranking lists undergraduate programs accredited by ABET, formerly known as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, according to the strength of their academic reputation.

In addition, Villanova has been listed by U.S. News as a university with a “Strong Focus on Student Success.” U.S. News states, in reference to the universities included in this section of the ranking, “some schools are much more determined than others to provide freshmen and all undergrads with the best possible experience….” Within this section, Villanova received special recognition in the “First-Year Experience” list.

Villanova University, a co-educational Roman Catholic institution, was founded by the Order of Saint Augustine in 1842. A premier institution of higher education, Villanova provides a comprehensive education rooted in the liberal arts; a shared commitment to the Augustinian ideals of truth, unity and love; and a community dedicated to service to others. A wide variety of undergraduate and graduate degree programs are offered through the University’s four colleges: the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Villanova School of Business, the College of Engineering and the College of Nursing, as well as the Villanova School of Law. With a total enrollment that surpasses 10,000 undergraduate, graduate and law students, Villanova is the oldest and largest Catholic university in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.