2012 Best Colleges Rankings Include New Schools

This year, 147 schools have been added or were eligible to be part of the rankings for the first time.

September 12, 2011 RSS Feed Print

To sort colleges and universities into their appropriate ranking categories for the 2012 Best Colleges rankings, we used the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching's Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education 2010 revisions to its highly respected Basic Classification. The Basic Classification is the traditional framework that Carnegie has used to classify colleges. As a result of this latest 2011 revision, some schools have been added as part of the actual rankings or were eligible to be part of the rankings for the first time.

Listed below are the schools that are new to the U.S. News rankings and the ranking category to which each new school belongs in the 2012 edition of the Best Colleges. The schools are listed in alphabetical order. 

School Name 2012 Edition Ranking Category
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (GA) Regional Colleges (South)
Academy of Art University (CA) Specialty Schools: Art
AIB College of Business (IA) Specialty Schools: Business
Alliant International University (CA) National Universities
Amberton University (TX) Regional Universities (West)
American Academy of Art (IL) Specialty Schools: Art
American InterContinental University Online (IL) Regional Universities (Midwest)
American Public University System (WV) Regional Universities (South)
Amridge University (AL) National Liberal Arts Colleges
Antioch University--Los Angeles (CA) Regional Universities (West)
Antioch University--Midwest (OH) Regional Universities (Midwest)
Antioch University--Santa Barbara (CA) Regional Universities (West)
Argosy University--Chicago (IL) National Universities
Art Institute of Atlanta Specialty Schools: Art
Art Institute of Colorado Specialty Schools: Art
Art Institute of Houston Specialty Schools: Art
Art Institute of Pittsburgh Specialty Schools: Art
Art Institute of Portland (OR) Specialty Schools: Art
Ashford University (IA) Regional Universities (Midwest)
Athens State University (AL) Regional Colleges (South)
Ave Maria University (FL) National Liberal Arts Colleges
Baltimore International College (MD) Regional Colleges (North)
Bauder College (GA) Regional Colleges (South)
Bay State College (MA) Regional Colleges (North)
Bellevue College (WA) Regional Colleges (West)
Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology (MA) Specialty Schools: Engineering
Berkeley College (NJ) Specialty Schools: Business
Berkeley College (NY) Specialty Schools: Business
Bismarck State College (ND) Regional Colleges (Midwest)
Brandman University (CA) Regional Universities (West)
Brazosport College (TX) Regional Colleges (West)
Briarcliffe College (NY) Regional Colleges (North)
California Institute of Integral Studies National Universities
California State University--Channel Islands Regional Universities (West)
Capella University (MN) National Universities
Capitol College (MD) Specialty Schools: Engineering
Central Pennsylvania College Regional Colleges (North)
Charter Oak State College (CT) National Liberal Arts Colleges
Chipola College (FL) Regional Colleges (South)
College of Southern Nevada Regional Colleges (West)
Colorado Technical University National Universities
Columbia International University (SC) Regional Universities (South)
Daytona State College (FL) Regional Colleges (South)
Dean College (MA) Regional Colleges (North)
DeVry University (IL) Regional Universities (Midwest)
Donnelly College (KS) Regional Colleges (Midwest)
Dunwoody College of Technology (MN) Regional Colleges (Midwest)
ECPI College of Technology (VA) Regional Colleges (South)
Edison State College (FL) Regional Colleges (South)
Ellis University (IL) National Liberal Arts Colleges
Everest College--Phoenix (AZ) Regional Colleges (West)
Everglades University (FL) Regional Colleges (South)
Five Towns College (NY) Regional Colleges (North)
Florida College Regional Colleges (South)
Florida State College--Jacksonville Regional Colleges (South)
Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture (AZ) Specialty Schools: Art
Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering Specialty Schools: Engineering
Gainesville State College (GA) Regional Colleges (South)
Georgia Gwinnett College Regional Colleges (South)
Gordon College (GA) Regional Colleges (South)
Governors State University (IL) Regional Universities (Midwest)
Grace University (NE) Regional Colleges (Midwest)
Grand Canyon University (AZ) Regional Universities (West)
Harrington College of Design (IL) Specialty Schools: Art
Harrisburg University of Science and Technology (PA) National Liberal Arts Colleges
Herzing University (WI) Regional Colleges (Midwest)
Hesser College (NH) Regional Colleges (North)
Holy Cross College (IN) National Liberal Arts Colleges
Illinois Institute of Art at Chicago Specialty Schools: Art
Indian River State College (FL) Regional Colleges (South)
Jones International University (CO) Regional Universities (West)
Kaplan University (IA) Regional Universities (Midwest)
Keiser University (FL) Regional Colleges (South)
Kentucky Christian University Regional Colleges (South)
King's College (NY) National Liberal Arts Colleges
Kuyper College (MI) Regional Colleges (Midwest)
Lexington College (IL) Specialty Schools: Business
LIM College (NY) Specialty Schools: Business
Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts (CT) Specialty Schools: Art
Martin Luther College (MN) Regional Colleges (Midwest)
Miami-Dade College Regional Colleges (South)
Mid-Atlantic Christian University (NC) Regional Colleges (South)
Midland College (TX) Regional Colleges (West)
Midstate College (IL) Regional Colleges (Midwest)
Monroe College (NY) Regional Universities (North)
Morrisville State College (NY) Regional Colleges (North)
National American University (SD) Regional Universities (Midwest)
National Graduate School of Quality Management (MA) Specialty Schools: Business
National Labor College (MD) Specialty Schools: Business
Nevada State College Regional Colleges (West)
New England Institute of Art (MA) Specialty Schools: Art
New England Institute of Technology (RI) Regional Colleges (North)
Northcentral University (AZ) National Universities
Northern New Mexico College Regional Colleges (West)
Northwest Florida State College Regional Colleges (South)
Ohio Christian University Regional Colleges (Midwest)
Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology--Okmulgee Regional Colleges (West)
Oklahoma State University--Oklahoma City Regional Colleges (West)
Olympic College (WA) Regional Colleges (West)
Paul Quinn College (TX) Regional Colleges (West)
Peninsula College (WA) Regional Colleges (West)
Pennsylvania College of Art and Design Specialty Schools: Art
Plaza College (NY) Regional Colleges (North)
Potomac College (DC) Specialty Schools: Business
Presentation College (SD) Regional Colleges (Midwest)
Providence Christian College (CA) National Liberal Arts Colleges
Ranken Technical College (MO) Regional Colleges (Midwest)
Robert B. Miller College (MI) Regional Colleges (Midwest)
Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design (CO) Specialty Schools: Art
Salem International University (WV) Regional Universities (South)
San Diego Christian College (CA) National Liberal Arts Colleges
School of Visual Arts (NY) Specialty Schools: Art
Seattle Community College--South Campus (WA) Regional Colleges (West)
Soka University of America (CA) National Liberal Arts Colleges
South College (TN) Regional Colleges (South)
South Texas College Regional Colleges (West)
South University (GA) Regional Universities (South)
Southwestern Christian University (OK) Regional Colleges (West)
St. Augustine College (IL) Regional Colleges (Midwest)
St. Catharine College (KY) Regional Colleges (South)
St. Petersburg College (FL) Regional Colleges (South)
Sterling College (VT) National Liberal Arts Colleges
Strayer University (DC) Regional Universities (North)
Sullivan University (KY) Regional Universities (South)
SUNY College of Technology--Canton Regional Colleges (North)
Texas A&M University--Texarkana Regional Universities (West)
The Art Center Design College--Tucson (AZ) Specialty Schools: Art
The Art Institute of Seattle (WA) Specialty Schools: Art
Trident University International (CA) National Universities
Trinity Lutheran College (WA) Regional Colleges (West)
Truett McConnell College (GA) Regional Colleges (South)
University of Advancing Technology (AZ) Regional Colleges (West)
University of Cincinnati--Raymond Walters College Regional Colleges (Midwest)
University of Hawaii--Maui Regional Colleges (West)
University of Houston--Clear Lake Regional Universities (West)
University of Houston--Victoria Regional Universities (West)
University of Phoenix Regional Universities (West)
University of Phoenix Online (AZ) National Universities
University of South Carolina--Beaufort Regional Colleges (South)
University of South Florida--St. Petersburg Regional Universities (South)
University of the West (CA) Regional Colleges (West)
Vincennes University (IN) Regional Colleges (Midwest)
Walden University (MN) National Universities
Watkins College of Art, Design & Film (TN) Specialty Schools: Art
Wentworth Institute of Technology (MA) Regional Colleges (North)
Western International University (AZ) Regional Universities (West)
Western Nevada College Regional Colleges (West)
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What parents need in reading these reports, is a basic understanding them. If we the parents are to make heads or tails if how this system works, keep the information simple. That is how you keep us informed. Thank you

paula truiit-Alohan of IL 12:30PM November 29, 2011

I received my Bachelors Degree from Colorado Tech. I enjoyed this school because it was fast paced. 5.5 weeks classes change and I was always able to get in contact with my professors. Also, they have a lot of resources that can help you if you struggle. The most important thing was they have tutors that can assist you one on one. They have different labs for various subjects that can also help you. I think the only way you can fail at this school is if you do not do the work.

missbeas of MD 9:29AM October 18, 2011

Ave Maria is a great University. Two of our kids now attend. The academics are tough but the ratio of highly qualified ivy league trained faculty to the number of students is umatched by any other school in the country so class size is still very small.

L. Weston of CO 5:50AM October 12, 2011

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