Appalachian State University ranks third among U.S. News and World Report’s Top Public Regional Universities in the South

By Kesha Williams

Posted Sep. 22, 2016 at 4:36 p.m.

BOONE—Appalachian State University continues to excel in U.S. News and World Report rankings. Among the 2017 Best Colleges rankings, the university climbed in rank from 10th to ninth in the magazine’s category of Best Regional Universities in the South and ranked third in the category of Top Public Regional Universities in the South.

Appalachian also ranked seventh among regional universities in the South in the 2017 Best Colleges for Veterans category. The goal of this category is to provide military veterans and active-duty service members with information on those institutions that offer benefits that will make a college education affordable.

“I am pleased and proud that Appalachian has once again been recognized by U.S. News and World Report as a top regional university,” said Chancellor Sheri N. Everts. “Since its inception, Appalachian has had one vision – putting students first by providing access to a transformational education. This recognition speaks to our longstanding commitment to quality in teaching, research and service, as well as to the stellar faculty and staff who prepare our students to lead purposeful lives as engaged citizens.”

The publication’s Best Regional Universities category compiles data from four regions, and ranks universities among their peer institutions in the North, South, Midwest and West. Institutions in this category offer a full range of undergraduate degrees, master’s programs and some doctoral degree programs. The university rankings reflect achievements in academics, cost, retention, graduation rates and other factors. Appalachian has placed among the top 15 public and private southern universities since the rankings were first published in 1986.

About Appalachian State University

As the premier public undergraduate institution in the Southeast, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives as global citizens who understand and engage their responsibilities in creating a sustainable future for all. The Appalachian Experience promotes a spirit of inclusion that brings people together in inspiring ways to acquire and create knowledge, to grow holistically, to act with passion and determination, and to embrace diversity and difference. Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Appalachian is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System. Appalachian enrolls nearly 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and graduate majors.