Wooster nationally recognized for senior capstone, undergraduate research, teaching, and more by US News
The College of Wooster has again received national recognition for undergraduate research, teaching, and educational value from U.S. News & World Report in its “Best Colleges 2025” guidebook.
Released Sept. 24, the magazine recognized Wooster among the top 100 National Liberal Arts Colleges in the country. The strength of Wooster’s undergraduate research program was recognized in the top 10 for “Senior Capstone” programs, and in the top 25 for “Undergraduate Research/Creative Projects.” For more than 20 years, Wooster has ranked in these areas among many top research universities, Ivy League schools, and major R1 institutions.
Independent Study, as Wooster’s senior capstone program is known to generations of Wooster alumni, is the centerpiece of the College’s commitment to undergraduate research and a symbol of distinction for all graduates. Alongside a faculty mentor, every student designs a project, research study, or artistic invention to solve a problem, express an idea, and create new knowledge in a chosen field. Graduates develop creativity, project-management, and strong written and oral communication skills—precisely the abilities prized by employers and graduate schools alike. In professional interviews, Wooster alumni frequently share how their I.S. projects prepared them to respond to challenges in their careers.
Overall, Wooster ranked No. 77 among National Liberal Arts Colleges and highly in other categories including “Best Undergraduate Teaching,” acknowledging the faculty’s commitment to teaching excellence and supporting students. U.S. News also lists the College among the top liberal arts schools in the country for “Best Value,” based on academic quality and net cost. As a “Top Performer on Social Mobility,” the College stands out for the percentage of graduating students who received Pell Grants—typically those from households with earnings less than $50,000 annually. Wooster is also recognized for “Campus Ethnic Diversity,” among national liberal arts colleges where students are most likely to encounter undergraduates from racial or ethnic groups different from their own.
U.S. News rankings offer detailed information of the institutions and data on factors such as outcome measures—including graduation rates, graduate indebtedness, and post-graduate earnings. Methodology for these rankings is also based on ratings from college presidents, chief academic officers, deans of students, and deans of admissions from more than 1,500 schools.
Posted in News on September 26, 2024.
