Marist College’s steady rise as one of the most well-regarded colleges in the country continued this week as the school was ranked yet again in the top tier of colleges and universities in the northern United States by U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges” guide.
The designation marked the 15th year in a row that Marist has made the exclusive list, and its position of being tied for 13th place out of 171 schools was the culmination of a seven-year advance of six places in the rankings. This rise was acknowledged not only in terms of numerical place but also by the inclusion of the college in a special section identifying “colleges and universities that have recently made striking improvements or innovations – schools everyone should be watching.”
Marist President Dennis J. Murray reacted to the news by characterizing his institution’s story as one of a determination to develop.
“It’s always very gratifying to have others tell you how well you are doing, and to have your peer institutions recognize the progress Marist has made over the years,” he said. “The credit for the success goes to our faculty and staff who work everyday for the benefit of the students who choose to be part of the Marist community. It is their dedication that brings this increased recognition to Marist.”
The rankings were based on data collected on students who applied for college admission as first-year students in 2007, and the “schools to watch” designation was a result of consulting top college officials from around the nation.
“Our brand is stronger than ever, and we continue to see great things ahead on the horizon,” said Sean P. Kaylor, vice president for admission and enrollment planning at the school. “What’s extremely satisfying is that we’ve gotten this special nod from officials at other schools. I believe that our success is a result of many factors – our beautiful physical plant by a great river, the high quality and diversity of our students, the strength of our academic programs and faculty.”
Marist spokesman Tim Massie stressed the infrastructural developments the school has made over the last 15 years as a concrete embodiment of the college’s advances.
“Marist has had five-year development plans for over 30 years, and their ambitious nature has been a big part of our success,” he said. “Our new facilities – the library, academic buildings, residence halls, athletic facilities and our high tech platform, which involves the use of technology in and out of the classroom – all of this has greatly enhanced the reputation of the college.”
Room to be selective
Kaylor noted that the school’s rising reputation has led to an increase in admissions applications even as the school is becoming more selective.
“This year alone we received 9,200 applications, and accepted 38 percent, which ranks us pretty high in terms of competitiveness,” he said. “We take a holistic approach to reviewing applications; academic quality – has the student maintained a rigorous class schedule? Extracurricular activities – has the student been involved in many, especially those involving community service? The quality of the recommendations we receive are also important, as is the essay in which the applicant has an opportunity to express what they think is most important about themselves.”
Despite the renewed honor and all it entails in terms of prestige and an inevitable rise in future interest in attending Marist, Massie stressed that students should decide on which college to attend based on their own needs.
“We don’t believe any student should select a college based on ranking in a guide,” he said. “There’s a right college for everyone, and we hope that people will come and take a good look at what we have to offer, which is much.”