There are well over 4,000 universities in the United States, with roughly 1,500 of those being public research institutions. Ranking this many schools can be incredibly difficult, and making it near the top of the list is even more challenging.
According to U.S. News and World Report, one of the most widely used and trusted sites for college rankings, Clemson University ranks as No. 24 in national public universities. This is the 11th consecutive year that this feat has been achieved.
Clemson also ranked as No. 66 out of all universities nationwide, public and private, as well as coming in at No. 16 for undergraduate teaching and No. 24 for most innovative schools.
Such high rankings were attained due to the increasing difficulty of acceptance as well as the steady rise in average test scores. In 2008, the average SAT score for an accepted student was 1227, and the acceptance rate hovered around the 54 percent mark. For 2017 the average SAT was an impressive 1302, and the acceptance rate was closer to 47 percent.
Additionally, the number of applications have soared. In 2008, 15,542 prospective freshman applied, compared to a stunning 26,242 in 2017.
The freshman retention rate, which usually indicates how satisfied students are with their school, sits at a healthy 93 percent.
U.S. News and World Report also factors in life outside of the classroom in their rankings. With a plethora of clubs and organizations, recreational opportunities available at Lake Hartwell and the Blue Ridge Mountains and a strong intramural and club sports program, the average Clemson students has nearly endless opportunities to get involved.
As for how Clemson prepares its students for life after college, U.S. News and World Report notes that “Clemson offers one of the country’s top-ranked career services programs and is consistently recognized for its high return on investment based on the quality of the education offered and price.”
Increasing standards regarding admission, high levels of student involvement and a superb career services program have all contributed to Clemson’s consistency in ranking as a top 25 public university over the past 11 years. As more students apply each year, and the campus grows to keep pace, one can only assume that Clemson won’t be leaving the top 25 anytime soon; if anything, it will only move up the rankings in the coming years.
