The University of Lynchburg is among the Best Colleges in the country for 2024, according to U.S. News & World Report. Lynchburg came in at No. 345 overall among National Universities, No. 333 on the Top Performers on the Social Mobility list, and at No. 402 among Undergraduate Nursing Programs — a jump of 11 ranks.
U.S. News assessed nearly 1,500 bachelor’s degree-granting institutions in the country. The rankings were calculated using 19 key measures of academic quality for National Universities and 13 indicators for the National Liberal Arts Colleges, Regional Universities, and Regional Colleges. Since 2022, Lynchburg has been ranked among National Universities because of its doctoral programs.
In explaining their methodology, U.S. News’ editors admitted that “there are plenty of reasons students attend a particular college or university. The top ones,” they added, “relate to academic reputation, cost of attending, and return on investment.”
Based on these findings from various surveys, the publication tweaked its 2024 formula by dropping five factors they’d been using for several years. They also modified the weights of several other factors and introduced a few new ones.
“We increased the emphasis on how often students from all socioeconomic backgrounds earned degrees and took advantage of information on graduate outcomes that was not available until recently,” they explained.
“As in past years, changes in methodology, together with changes in individual schools’ data, can result in significant changes to schools’ rankings. … In short, the rankings should be used as a tool for discovering the best fit schools; combined with personal considerations and additional resources.”
That holistic approach resonates with a lot of Lynchburg students, who are engaged in and outside the classroom. They participate in meaningful undergraduate and graduate research, internships, campus and community service, and study abroad programs.
They also join one or more of the University’s 60-plus clubs and organizations, and more than half are involved in athletics.
“Our students get a one-of-a-kind experience here,” said Dr. Alison Morrison-Shetlar, president of the University of Lynchburg. “A Lynchburg education truly is life-changing, and it happens in every corner of our campus — and the world. Thanks to our dedicated faculty and staff, students leave Lynchburg ready to serve, lead, and change lives.
“I’m proud that we can provide this experience to anyone, regardless of financial resources, thanks to the generous scholarships and need-based aid we offer.”
You can see Lynchburg’s complete profile here.
