Forbes, Princeton Review and Washington Monthly all agree -- Indiana State University is on their lists of top universities.
"To be annually recognized by highly respected publications like the Princeton Review and Forbes is such a testament to the hard work that goes on daily by the dedicated faculty and staff at Indiana State," said John Beacon, senior vice president for enrollment management, marketing and communications. "We provide challenging academic programs designed to meet industry needs in a culturally diverse setting and at a cost that is a good investment for students looking for opportunity and growth."
Forbes included Indiana State in its America's Top Colleges rankings and lists State among its Best in the Midwest (162), top Public Colleges (239) and best Research Universities (250). Princeton Review ranks State among its Best Midwestern and Green Colleges rankings. The regional designation is the 14th consecutive year for the honor, and Sycamores' opportunities to study and participate in sustainability have kept State on the "Green" list five years running.
Students told the Princeton Review "ISU is small and the professors really care" and "professors don't just lecture, they provide students with hands-on opportunities."
"Whether you're a scientist or an artist, ‘ISU suits the needs of every type of learner,' and ‘diversity and making connections' rank high among students' reasons to be satisfied with their education," the Princeton Review wrote. "In addition to its nationally recognized music program, ISU maintains standout programs in English, psychology, technology, education and aviation, among others. Students receive a ‘strong support system,' and with ISU's ‘high GPA and academic requirements,' they feel the university does ‘everything they can to help you succeed.'"
Washington Monthly selected State as one of its top universities again this year, although a change in the publication's metrics cost Sycamores' their top service rating. State is 83rd among its National Universities and 48th for service.
State spent the past five consecutive years in the top three spots among 303 national universities and annually clocks more than 1 million hours of community service. Washington Monthly no longer uses hours of community service as a factor in their service rankings and now calculates it on on Peace Corps, federal work study and ROTC efforts.
"Community engagement continues to be a major focus for Indiana State. Our commitment to developing our students as good citizens and stewards of their communities and improving the quality of life in the Wabash Valley is one of the pillars of our new strategic plan," said Nancy Rogers, vice president for University Engagement. "The national recognition that we receive for community engagement is good for the institution and the community, but our priority always will be the actual work of community service and engagement."
Using Washington Monthly's data for the most social-impact-minded students, Pillrs, a social change organization founded in 2016, ranked Indiana State as the Pillar of Academia in Indiana. The list included a who's who of prestigious public and private colleges and universities producing the most compassionate students.
Indiana State made it on U.S. News and World Report's Best Colleges list of the nation's best 300 undergraduate institutions. The rankings rely heavily on factors such as student outcomes, financial information and expert opinions.
U.S. News and World Report also classifies Indiana State as a Best College for Business Programs (216) and High School Counselor Rankings (177). Online programs rankings include the Best Online Graduate Nursing Programs (81), Best Online Graduate Education Programs (113) and Best Online Bachelor's Programs (142).
For the ninth year in a row, Indiana State has been named a Tree Campus USA. Tree Campus USA is a national program that started in 2008 and honors colleges and universities for effective campus forest management and for engaging staff and students in conservation goals.
Once again, State met the program's five core standards for effective campus forest management: an advisory committee, a campus tree-care plan, dedicated annual expenditures for its campus tree program, an Arbor Day observance and student service-learning project.
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Media contact: Libby Roerig, director of communications and media relations, Office of Communications and Marketing, Indiana State University, 812-237-3790 or libby.roerig@indstate.edu