At a time when lawmakers have been focused on improving the national standings of Florida universities, the state landed only one school on the annual Forbes list of the top colleges that was based upon results rather than reputation.
The University of Florida landed 80th on the Forbes list, 52 places ahead of the private University of Miami and 113 slots before the Florida State University.
New College of Florida placed ahead of FSU at 189.
Florida A&M took the lowest place among Floridas schools at 629.
Forbes ranked 650 schools.
The rankings, compiled for Forbes by the Washington, D.C.-based Center for College Affordability and Productivity, are based on the following: postgraduate success; student satisfaction; student debt; four-year graduation rate; and students winning scholarships and fellowships like the Rhodes, Marshall and Fulbright or who go on to earn Ph.D.s.
Schools at the top of the list (in order) are: Princeton University, Williams College in Massachusetts, Stanford University, University of Chicago, Yale University, Harvard University, the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Columbia University, Pomona College and Swarthmore College.
The Florida list
80: UF
132: University of Miami
189: New College
193: FSU
207: Rollins College
266: Eckerd College
336: Stetson University
427: University of North Florida
449: University of South Florida
453: Florida Institute of Technology
455: Florida Southern College
462: University of Central Florida
465: The University of Tampa
490: Florida Atlantic University
520: Florida International University
539: Embry Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach
550: Lynn University
585: Barry University
603: The University of West Florida
604: Nova Southeastern University
629: Florida A&M University
Reach Jim Turner at jturner@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 215-9889.
