More National Recognition for Scranton

         The University of Scranton is among America's Best Colleges and among those deemed most friendly to the military according to two national online listings published recently.

        For the second year in a row, The University of Scranton made the list of 600 universities published in Forbes.com's America's Best Colleges 2009. The ranking was determined by The Center for College Affordability and Productivity's analysis of data posted on RateMyProfessor.com (25 percent) and success of graduates based equally on the number of alumni listed among Who's Who in America and the average salaries of alumni posted on Payscale.com (25 percent). The average amount of student debt at graduation was also considered (20 percent). The remaining factors reviewed were the school's predicted and actual four-year graduation rates and the number of students and faculty, adjusted for enrollment, earning nationally competitive scholarships and awards.

        Scranton, with a rank of 398, was among the 23 Jesuit universities making the list.

Scranton was also listed among the top 15 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools in the nation named a Military Friendly School. The list of just over 1,000 schools was published by G.I. Jobs based on research complied through a poll of more than 7,000 schools in the United States.

        The Military Friendly Schools list was based on the school's non-financial efforts to recruit and retain military and veteran students (45 percent), as well as the school's financial recruitment efforts (35 percent), which includes participation in programs such as the Yellow Ribbon Program. Also considered were the school's outcomes as measured by the number and percentage of military and veteran students enrolled (15 percent) and the school's academic accreditations (five percent).

        Scranton was among nine Jesuit universities making the list.

        The University of Scranton participates in the new federal Yellow Ribbon Program, which partners private universities with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to help pay tuition costs for eligible veterans.

        Through the recently approved Post-9/11 GI Bill, VA pays tuition expenses equal to the highest in-state undergraduate public college or university rate for eligible veterans. Through the Yellow Ribbon Program, participating universities can contribute up to 50% of the difference, and the VA matches their contribution for those eligible. The University of Scranton has chosen to contribute the maximum 50% funding. When matched by the VA, this contribution, plus the Post9-11/GI Bill, will fund the full cost of tuition at The University of Scranton.