Alaska Pacific University (APU) is ranked #53 among master’s level universities in the West in the 2008 edition of “America’s Best Colleges” by U.S. News & World Report. This is the fifth year APU has been ranked in the highest echelon of master’s level universities, and it continues APU’s status as the highest ranking university in Alaska. “We are proud that APU continues to remain so highly ranked by this prestigious publication,” said APU President Dr. Douglas North. “It’s great to have an outside entity reaffirm that our students are receiving a first-rate education.

This is particularly true because APU’s approach focuses so directly on student learning and involvement, a non-traditional approach that does not always match up well with traditional ranking metrics.” The annual rankings provide an unmatched resource for parents and students in determining which institution best fits their goals. Colleges are ranked on 15 indicators of academic excellence including peer assessment, retention, percentage of freshmen who were in the top 25 percent of their graduating class, student-to-faculty ratio, faculty resources, selectivity, financial resources, graduation rate and alumni giving. APU has consistently scored high in several of these areas, especially its student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 and 96 percent of classes that have fewer than 20 students. The exclusive rankings were published in the magazine’s September 1 issue and available online at www.usnews.com/colleges