VILLANOVA, Pa. – Villanova University has again placed among the top 50 of U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges” for its 2019 rankings. In addition to its #49 ranking on the National Universities list, the University also placed #19 for “Alumni Giving,” #40 among “High School Counselors’ Top College Picks” and #48 for “Best Value.”

Villanova’s inclusion among the nation’s best colleges and universities is indication of the University’s continued prominence and forward momentum. In recent years, Villanova has seen record-breaking admissions applications, strong student outcomes and the most successful fundraising campaign in the University’s history.

Over the past five years, Villanova’s undergraduate applications have increased by more than 50 percent. Our students consistently earn some of the nation’s most prestigious national scholarships and awards, with 16 Villanovans receiving Fulbright U.S. Student Grants this past year. Upon graduation, Villanovans are highly sought-after by top graduate schools, companies and organizations across the country and around the world, with a successful placement rate of 96.3 percent for the class of 2017. The University recently concluded its comprehensive capital campaign—“For the Greater Great: The Villanova Campaign to Ignite Change”—at $760 million, surpassing its original goal by over $160 million. Annual undergraduate alumni participation rose to 30 percent in the campaign’s final year—having nearly doubled over the last decade.

U.S. News uses numerous indicators of excellence in determining the rankings, including academic reputation, student retention, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, alumni giving, graduation rate performance and ratings by high school counselors. Of the approximately 1,400 four-year colleges and universities nationwide listed by U.S. News, 311 are classified as National Universities.

About Villanova University: Since 1842, Villanova University’s Augustinian Catholic intellectual tradition has been the cornerstone of an academic community in which students learn to think critically, act compassionately and succeed while serving others. There are more than 10,000 undergraduate, graduate and law students in the University's six colleges—the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Villanova School of Business, the College of Engineering, the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, the College of Professional Studies and the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law. Ranked among the nation’s top universities, Villanova supports its students’ intellectual growth and prepares them to become ethical leaders who create positive change everywhere life takes them. For more, visit www.villanova.edu.