Florida Southern College Named A Best College 2021-22 By U.S. News & World Report: Moves To No. 8 Best Regional University & Best Undergraduate Teaching

LAKELAND, Fla., Sept. 13, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Florida Southern College advances to no. 8 among the top 10 "Best Regional Universities in the South" in this year's edition of U.S. News & World Report's distinguished college rankings guide, up from its no. 9 placement last year. The guide highlights FSC's continuing academic excellence in undergraduate education in relation to its peer institutions.

"I am elated by U.S. News & World Report's recognition of Florida Southern's place among the best and most innovative academic institutions in the nation," said Dr. Anne B. Kerr, president of Florida Southern College. "These accolades underscore Florida Southern's pairing of top-tier collaborative research with creative pedagogical approaches, made possible by FSC's world-class faculty and our extraordinary students."

U.S. News and World Report spotlights FSC's national prominence in undergraduate education, ranking the College at no. 8 for "Best Undergraduate Teaching" and no.10 for "Most Innovative" among FSC's peer institutions. The new rankings also promote the College's outstanding Business and Nursing programs, naming FSC as one of the "Best Undergraduate Business Programs" and, for the first time this year, as one of the "Best Undergraduate Nursing Programs" in the nation.

The U.S. News & World Report rankings also praise Florida Southern's efforts to create opportunities for social mobility among disadvantaged student populations, listing the College as one of the "Top Performers on Social Mobility." The College ensures that all FSC students receive a world-class educational experience, and the value of an FSC education is reflected in the College's appearance on the "Best Value Universities in the South" listing at no. 14.

"Florida Southern's stellar faculty and staff work together to equip and empower all of our students for success," said FSC Provost Dr. Brad Hollingshead. "U.S. News & World Report's continued recognition of the College underscores the remarkable work of these educators and recognizes that a Florida Southern education is one that truly makes a difference in students' lives."

U.S. News & World Report utilizes academic surveys and data concerning four- and six-year graduation rates, freshman retention rates, student SAT and ACT score averages, and faculty-to-student ratios to produce college rankings based on school groupings established by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education and determined by each school's academic mission. Regional universities, offering a wide range of undergraduate degrees and some master's programs but limited doctoral programs, are ranked against peer-group schools in four geographical regions: North, South, Midwest, and West.

U.S. News and World Report's praise of Florida Southern continues the College's trend of accolades that highlight the school's academic excellence and focus on experiential education:

• For the 12^th consecutive year, FSC was recognized by The Princeton Review as one of the nation's premier institutions for undergraduate education, appearing in The Princeton Review's Best 387 Colleges guide. Only 14 percent of four-year colleges nationwide are profiled in the guidebook, which compiles its ranking lists based on data from student satisfaction surveys. FSC was one of only two institutions in Florida to be included in the publication's "Most Beautiful Campus" ranking;
• Florida Southern College is one of just 10 Florida-based institutions to be featured in the "2021-2022 Colleges of Distinction" guide, which analyzes and constructs college rankings based on four primary factors: engaged students, great teaching, a vibrant community, and successful outcomes;
• Florida Southern College is featured as "one of the best and most interesting schools in the U.S." in the Fiske Guide to Colleges 2022, an authoritative guide to more than 300 of the best colleges and universities in the United States, Canada, Great Britain, and Ireland;
• The Wall Street Journal has ranked FSC as a Top 10 College for Teacher Engagement, and the College is a top nationwide producer of Fulbright students.

About Florida Southern College 

Founded in 1883, Florida Southern College is the oldest private college in the state. The College maintains its commitment to academic excellence through 70+ undergraduate programs and distinctive graduate programs in business administration, education, nursing, and physical therapy. Florida Southern has a 14:1 student-to-faculty ratio, is an award-winning national leader in engaged learning, and boasts 30 NCAA Division II National Championships. Florida Southern is ranked at #8 among the "Best Regional Universities in the South" by U.S. News & World Report in its 2022 "Best Colleges" guide and is included in The Princeton Review's 2022 Best 387 Colleges guide and the "Fiske Guide to Colleges 2022." The 2021-2022 Colleges of Distinction guidebook praises Florida Southern's AACSB accredited Barney Barnett School of Business and Free Enterprise alongside the College's School of Education and its Ann Blanton Edwards School of Nursing and Health Sciences. Poets & Quants, U.S. News & World Report, and The Princeton Review further laud the Barney Barnett School of Business and Free Enterprise and the Ann Blanton Edwards School of Nursing and Health Sciences as foremost programs in the nation for business and nursing education. Home to the world's largest single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture, FSC has appeared on The Princeton Review's top 20 "Most Beautiful Campus" national listing for 12 consecutive years. Connect with Florida Southern College. 

SOURCE Florida Southern College