By Anna Gustafson
Queens College ranks as one of the top 10 public universities in the northern United States for bachelor’s and master’s degrees, according to a recently released report from U.S. News & World Report.
The 2010 edition of the U.S. News & World Report America’s Best Colleges guidebook lists Queens College as the 10th-best public university in its category, Best Universities-Master’s. This category includes colleges that offer a full range of undergraduate and master’s programs but few doctoral programs.
“We’re always gratified when external reviewers confirm our academic excellence,” Queens College President James Muyskens said.
Queens College tied for 10th place along with Hunter College, another CUNY school; SUNY Oneonta; and the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey. The College of New Jersey ranked first.
U.S. News & World Report said Queens College has become more selective in the past year and has an acceptance rate of 38 percent this year, compared to 40 percent last year.
The guidebook reported more academically gifted students are applying to Queens College and the SAT scores of applicants are up 50 points this year to an average of 1180. The college has enrolled 62 new Macaulay Honors College students, which is 22 more than last fall. Macaulay Honors students have an average SAT score of 1343.
Launched in 2001, the Macaulay Honors College offers students free tuition, as well as mentors, internships, a free laptop and access to special seminars and study abroad options. Students from public and parochial schools may apply, as can individuals from outside the United States.
“The quality of our students and faculty is on par with some of the best universities in America,” Muyskens said. “In fact, more than half our faculty were hired in the last seven years after proving themselves at institutions such as Yale, Harvard, MIT and Princeton.”
Queens College, which has more than 19,500 students from 140 countries, was also included in The Princeton Review’s Best 371 Colleges guidebook that was released in August. In Princeton Review’s profile of Queens College, students call the school “the Harvard of the CUNY system.”
The Princeton Review added that “according to students, who describe themselves as ‘education and career-oriented,’ the college provides ‘great and challenging programs’ that are ‘unique and comprehensive’ as well as teachers who are ‘easy to talk to and very helpful.’”
The report lauds the college for its diversity.
“There is no typical student at Queens College, and that’s what’s great about the student body,” the Review quoted students as saying.
The college is a diverse community where “every racial, ethnic and religious background is represented and learns from one another,” the Review said.
Reach reporter Anna Gustafson by e-mail at agustafson@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 174.
