La Sierra University moves ahead in Best Colleges rankings

La Sierra rose 32 spots this year in the Regional Universities: West category. The category includes 121 universities, both public and private, from Texas to Alaska.

Rankings are based on extensive data submitted annually by each institution. Among the factors considered are class size, faculty qualification, admission selectivity, reputation among peers, financial resources, retention rate, alumni support, and graduation rate, both expected and actual.

La Sierra University saw significantly improved scores in graduation and retention rates, peer assessment by administrators at other schools, class size, student-to-faculty ratio, and student selectivity.

“We are very pleased to be ranked among America's best colleges," says La Sierra's president, Randal Wisbey. 'We are especially proud that of the finding that our students graduate at a higher rate than expected."
La Sierra's 2014-15 academic year begins on Sept. 29. Last year's enrollment was nearly 2,500 in undergraduate and graduate programs.