Eastern Kentucky University was recently listed among the 2024 Best Colleges by U.S. News & World Report. The school ranked in four different categories, including nursing and top public schools. Some Critics however question the rankings, suggesting the magazine places a premium on private, highly selective institutions.
EKU president David McFaddin said the publication has changed some of their criteria for making their rankings.
“Looking at class size, looking at alumni giving, they dropped some of those things, which probably would have slanted those outcomes toward some of those elite institutions and then moved back toward things like how many of the college’s graduates are making more than the average high school graduate.”
McFaddin said EKU also excels with a graduation rate of first-generation students. The university also made the Forbes Top 40 employer list in Kentucky.
He said the recognition is nice, but it is important for the school to appeal to the region where it is located.
“We always want to be recognized, we want to be competitive, you want to stack yourself against the best, but I also think you have to win at home. I think for us, as we look a very regional recruitment strategy, that we can do better by making sure we’re recognized in the communities in which our alumni live and work.”
McFaddin said it is important that many EKU students attend the university and then go back to and serve their home communities throughout Kentucky.
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