TCNJ News
For Immediate Release
September 13, 2004
The College of New Jersey Ranked
with Nation's Elite
EWING, NJ . The College of New Jersey has been named one of the nation's top schools, according to rankings published in the 2005 edition of Barron's Profiles of American Colleges. TCNJ joins the likes of Duke University , Stanford University, Harvard University, Princeton University, and the six other Ivy League institutions among the 75 schools that Barron's lists in its "Most Competitive" category.
This is the first year in which TCNJ has achieved such elite status, having previously been considered a "Highly Competitive" college by the publication.
"This recognition of the tremendous progress we have made and of the unique educational opportunities available at The College of New Jersey is a great honor," TCNJ President R. Barbara Gitenstein said. "To receive this news as we embark upon a yearlong celebration of The College's 150th anniversary is an added bonus that further enhances the rich tradition as well as public perception of our institution."
Of the ranking, Barron's notes: "Even superior students will encounter a great deal of competition for admission to the colleges in this category.these colleges require high school rank in the top 10 percent to 20 percent and grade averages of A to B+. Median freshman test scores at these colleges are generally between 655 and 800 on the SAT I and 29 and above on the ACT."
Dr. Steven Briggs, TCNJ's provost, explained that "By offering dynamic academic programs and hiring extremely talented faculty and staff members, The College has created a supportive and challenging learning environment. What we offer is appealing to prospective students, and that is reflected in the number and quality of the applications for admission that we receive each year."
The College of New Jersey and Princeton University are the only New Jersey schools to garner this distinction from Barron's , and TCNJ is the sole public institution from the Northeast, including New England, to be classified as "Most Competitive." Just seven public institutions nationally-TCNJ, the University of North Carolina, the University of Virginia, the College of William and Mary, the University of California at Berkeley, the University of California at Los Angeles, and the University of Florida-made the publication's top tier.
"TCNJ stands out from even its peers on this prestigious list by offering such a high caliber of education at a price that is extremely affordable," President Gitenstein noted. "As a public institution, we take great pride in fulfilling our mandate to provide educational opportunities that are accessible to a diverse and talented group of students."
The Barron 's ranking comes on the heels of U.S. News and World Report's recent naming of TCNJ as the top public institution in the northern region of the country.
About The College of New Jersey
TCNJ currently is ranked as one of the 75 "Most Competitive" schools in the nation by Barron's Profiles of American Colleges, is rated the No. 1 public institution in the northern region of the country by U.S. News & World Report, and is one of Kiplinger's Personal Finance's top educational values in the country. In 2006, the College joined an elite group of institutions when it was awarded a Phi Beta Kappa chapter. Fewer than 10 percent of the nation's colleges and universities share this honor.
