<p>UR was tied for Number 30 among the U.S. News Best LACs. Perhaps it would rise a bit if more alumni made contributions. UR ranked 135th in alumni giving.</p>
<p>But remember, UR is up from #42 just two years ago. Nice increase. It gets harder and harder as you move closer to the top! Other rankings (Business School #12, #10 ranking in salaries after graduation, etc) are very impressive.</p>
<p>The alumni’s lack of giving has been a result largely of the university not really creating a “we’ll take any amount” mentality over the years, as a number of UR families have stepped up in a big way in the past (Robins, Jepson, Weinstein, etc.). Just recently the school has really aimed to get alumni to participate, even if it’s just a dollar. The school recently started a senior gift campaign to get students in the habit of giving, and each of the last two graduating classes had over 60% participation. Additionally, alumni giving tanked with our former president, and I believe will rebound to new heights with Dr. Ayers at the helm (once the economy recovers of course). As the new plan for the university is quantified and a new capital campaign comes out, I think you’ll see new highs in alumni giving.</p>
<p>Alumni giving receives only a 5% weighting in the USNWR rankings. I don’t think that’s what is preventing UR from a higher ranking. In general I think there are more great colleges and universities than USNWR has high ranking numbers for. In this sense I think USNWR’s rankings are misleading. I don’t think there is all that much difference between 10, 20, 30 or 40.</p>
<p>[America’s</a> Best Colleges 2009 - Forbes.com](<a href=“http://www.forbes.com/2009/08/02/colleges-university-ratings-opinions-colleges-09-intro.html]America’s”>America's Best Colleges 2009)
^intoduction about their rankings</p>
<p>[America’s</a> Best Colleges - Forbes.com](<a href=“Forbes List Directory”>Forbes List Directory)
^their 2009 list</p>
<p>Here’s another list to sort through. Personally, I place little credence in any of these lists but many on CC do.</p>
<p>Smile, I agree with you re: that list. A school’s quality shouldn’t be (in my opinion) based on the number of people who are in “Who’s who” or the amount of debt a student graduates, but apparently Forbes thinks it is. Cornell for example at #207 says all that needs to be said about this ranking.</p>
<p>Perhaps I worded my post incorrectly. What I meant to say is that I don’t put much stock into any lists–US News, Forbes, or any other ranking list.</p>
<p>singleparent, this article in the student newspaper, The Collegian, made me think of this thread. UR set a record this year for the number of alumni donors and the amount given by alumni. Given the past fiscal year’s disastrous economy, I thought this was quite an accomplishment and speaks to the new direction that alumni solicitation has taken. [Donations</a> break record | The Collegian ? University of Richmond](<a href=“http://www.thecollegianur.com/2009/09/10/donations-break-record/]Donations”>http://www.thecollegianur.com/2009/09/10/donations-break-record/)</p>
<p>Richmond’s USNews rankings are damaged more by the fact that nearly 10% of its entering frosh transfer to another school or otherwise do not graduate from Richmond than by Richmond’s low alum donations.</p>
<p>that is an interesting stat, Otis. What is the national average for freshman transfer rates and particularly for LACs? I would assume the transfer/drop out rate would be higher for public institutions.</p>