Mount Ranked Among the Best by U.S. News & World Report for Social Mobility
12/13/2019
#15 in Regional Universities North Category
It’s been another exceptional year of national rankings and recognition for the University of Mount Saint Vincent, from annual guides including U.S. News & World Report, Money, Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education, Colleges of Distinction, and more.
Plenty of colleges help their students succeed, but the best institutions are the ones that truly transform the lives of their graduates.
This year, we’re proud to share that the University of Mount Saint Vincent debuted at No. 15 in Top Performers on Social Mobility, according to the 2020 U.S. News and World Report rankings, part of a first-ever social mobility list that measures how well colleges serve low-income students, especially regarding their graduation rates.
“The new ranking ‘evaluates which schools best serve underrepresented students’ and analyzes enrollment and graduation rates of low-income students with Pell Grants as a proxy,” wrote USA Today—which elsewhere stated, “In America, the U.S. News & World Report rankings are regarded as the gold standard.”
Social mobility rankings matter. And because of its service and effort to ensure each student’s potential is defined by his or her ambitions, not their financial means, it’s easy to understand why the College was included as a top performer for its category.
“This reflects what the College has been doing since our inception—providing life-changing opportunities for students across the economic spectrum,” said Mount President Charles L. Flynn, Jr. “We are very proud that the University of Mount Saint Vincent is true to the traditions of high quality, transformative education: academic excellence, authentic inclusivity, and ceiling-breaking opportunity.”
This is not the first time that Mount Saint Vincent has stood out, especially in its commitment and success in propelling low-income students into the middle class and beyond.
Last year, The Chronicle of Higher Education’s Almanac showcased the Mount as first in the nation among four-year private colleges in two of three social mobility categories: children from the bottom 20 percent of household income who reached the top 20 percent, as well as median child earnings. And in 2017, a comprehensive study on student economic mobility conducted by UC Berkeley and the U.S. Department of the Treasury ranked the College third in the nation in social mobility among 578 selective public and private colleges and universities. Mount students experienced greater upward mobility than those of all but two colleges and universities across the country.
Ever upward as its New York City location, the College only continues its streak of national recognition, furthering the strength of the institution. Mount Saint Vincent also made an appearance on U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges, Regional Universities list, jumping four ranking points since last year.
“Whatever our students’ backgrounds—financially advantaged or financially modest, first-generation or the great grandchildren of alums, Catholic or of some other faith—the Mount transforms lives,” said Dr. Flynn. “We continue to lay the foundation of the American Dream.”
Methodology
U.S. News & World Report used a social mobility measure to follow the graduation rate of students who received federal Pell Grants. The vast majority of these federal grants are awarded to students whose adjusted gross family incomes are under $50,000. They looked at six-year graduation rates and adjusted the methodology for schools that had larger proportions of students with Pell Grants.
About the University of Mount Saint Vincent
Founded in 1847 by the Sisters of Charity, the University of Mount Saint Vincent offers nationally recognized liberal arts education and a select array of professional fields of study on a landmark campus overlooking the Hudson River. Committed to the education of the whole person, and enriched by the unparalleled cultural, educational, and career opportunities of New York City, the College equips students with the knowledge, skills, and experiences necessary for lives of professional accomplishment, service, and leadership in the 21st century.