Belmont Abbey College Ranks Top 10 in U.S. News & World Report, and Welcomes Largest Class Ever

BELMONT, Sept. 20, 2017 -- BELMONT, N.C. (September 12, 2017) – Once again, U.S. News & World Report has ranked Belmont Abbey College in the Top 10. Belmont Abbey College ranked 8^th in the Best Regional Colleges in the South in the 2018 edition of U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges. This is the highest ranking in Belmont Abbey College’s history and places it among the best colleges in the nation.

For Fall 2017, the Abbey also welcomed the largest and one of the most academically accomplished traditional new student classes in the 142-year history of the college. More than 460 new students arrived the week of August 21. With this class, Belmont Abbey College continues its trend as the fastest growing private, baccalaureate, Catholic college and the 14^th fastest growing private, baccalaureate college in America (The Chronicle of Higher Education Almanac 2005-2015 analysis).

The U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings measure academic quality by assessing a number of categories, including graduation and retention of first year students, student selectivity, faculty resources, peer institutional assessment, financial resources, alumni giving, and graduation rate performance.

"Academic reputations reflect the quality and success of a college's faculty and its graduates," said Dr. Bill Thierfelder, President of Belmont Abbey College, "That is why enrolling the largest and one of the most academically gifted classes in the college's 142-year history, while achieving another top 10 ranking in U.S. News & World Report, brings me the greatest joy and proves the excellence and virtue of our students and faculty." 

Indicators used by the Best Colleges guide include input measures, which reflect the quality of students, faculty and other resources used in education. In addition the study analyzes outcome measures, such as graduation and freshman retention rates and graduation rate performance, which signal how well the institution educates its student body.

“Both the recognition by U.S.News and record growth reflect the hard work of faculty and staff building a solid educational program for our students.” said Dr. David Williams, Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty. “Our program, combining a core emphasis on the Catholic intellectual tradition with professional skills developed in a major, fulfills our mission to educate students so their lives become a blessing to themselves and to others.”

Founded in 1876, Belmont Abbey College is a private, Catholic, baccalaureate and liberal arts institution. The college mission is to educate students in the liberal arts and sciences so that in all things God may be glorified. Guided by the Catholic intellectual tradition and the Benedictine spirit of prayer and learning, the college welcomes a diverse body of students and provide them with an education that will enable them to lead lives of integrity, to succeed professionally, to become responsible citizens, and to be a blessing to themselves and to others. The beautiful and historic campus is conveniently located just 10 miles west of Charlotte, N.C., and is currently home to more than 1600 students. For more information, visit www.belmontabbeycollege.edu or www.abbeyathletics.com.
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A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a28347aa-8896-4018-95ba-49c0418b466b

Rolando N. Rivas
Belmont Abbey College
7044616561
[email protected]