The University has received four major accolades this week, with several national publications recognizing the school’s cost-effectiveness, academics, hospital facilities and Grounds in their rankings. U.S News & World Report has bestowed the title of “No. 1 hospital in Virginia” upon the UVA Medical Center, while the Princeton Review also ranked the University at the top of its list among public “Colleges that Pay You Back.” In a similar vein, Money Magazine described UVA as one of the “best colleges for your money,” while the Matador Network named the University the most beautiful college in America.
UVA Medical Center: No. 1 Hospital in the State of Virginia
UVA Medical Center: No. 1 Hospital in the State of VirginiaU.S News & World Report has included the UVA Medical Center among its rankings of the best hospitals in the United States for five of its adult specialties — including cancer and cardiology — and six of its children’s specialties, with the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of the UVA Children’s Hospital earning special recognition.
On a regional basis, the University’s medical facilities were deemed the best in the state of Virginia, and its doctors received the highest rating possible in quality of treatment for eight different procedures and conditions.
The publication takes into account patient experience, how the hospital cares for its sickest, most medically complex patients, and its level of performance when confronted with a variety of conditions and medical problems. Patients reported high satisfaction with nurses’ communications, quality of discharge information, and their involvement with their own recovery, and were largely willing to recommend the facility to others.
Princeton Review: Virginia is a “College that Pays You Back”
The Princeton Review has given the University the No. 1 slot on its list of public “Colleges that Pay You Back,” also including it in its overall rankings, which include private institutions. According to the publication, the list is based on “a combination of institutional and student survey data, including academic rigor, affordability, and career outcomes for graduates, among others.”
The University’s Return on Investment (ROI) rating is 95/99, and the mid-career median salaries of its graduates is $118,400, among those who received their Bachelor’s degrees at the institution — without pursuing further education by going on to attend medical school, law school, or other forms of graduate school.
“Along with the low in-state tuition, academic rigor is the reason many students choose UVA,” the Princeton Review’s website reads. “On the whole, students are very happy with their professors, who are ‘extremely knowledgeable, passionate, excellent teachers… The teachers are generally very accessible and responsive to emails, and are genuinely interested in helping students succeed and encouraging exploration of interesting topic material outside of class.'”
Money Magazine: UVA is a Top Ten “Best College for Your Money”
UVA is the tenth-best-value university in the country, according to Money Magazine, which evaluated the quality of a Virginia education alongside the financial success of its alumni. According to UVA Today, last year, Harvard University was ranked No. 10 and UVA was No. 11. This year, the roles are reversed — UVA rose to replace Harvard in the No. 10 spot, while the Crimson fell six spaces to No. 16.
Money Magazine emphasized the fact that UVA has the highest graduation rate among any public university, and pointed out that Virginia offers “a top-notch education at a reasonable price.” Other top 10 schools include Princeton University, several institutions in the University of California system, City University of New York, Bernard M. Baruch College, Stanford University, the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Virginia: Most Beautiful College Campus in the United States
While the Matador Network prefaced its rankings by conceding that one should not pick a college based on its looks, it quickly recognized UVA as having the most attractive surroundings for living and learning as a college student.
“The only university in the United States designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the University of Virginia is one of the oldest in the country, founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson,” the website reads. “Dominated by the Rotunda inspired by the Pantheon in Rome, the Academical Village follows a U-shaped plan, where the buildings surround the Lawn, a terraced green space. The Rotunda, the school’s iconic, most recognizable building, stands on the northern side of the Lawn. 10 pavilions interspersed with student rooms extend on its sides, each built in a different style, with their own gardens, separated by serpentine walls.”
Other schools honored include Princeton University, the University of Chicago, St. Olaf College, the University of Washington, Pepperdine University, Bryn Mawr College, and the University of Colorado: Boulder. While many of these institutions were aided by their natural surroundings, the Matador Network acknowledged that Jefferson’s abilities as a talented architect and his Academical Village are the true heart of the University’s beauty.
For more on the University’s rankings, click here.
