On a weekend that saw the University of Florida upset Southeastern Conference rival Tennessee and move back into the top 25 in college football, US News and World Reports ranked it the top college in Florida and #28 overall in the country.
U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in education rankings, on Monday announced the 2024 Best Colleges. Serving as a guide for prospective students and their families, the rankings evaluate 1,500 colleges and universities using up to 19 measures of academic quality. This year’s rankings placed a greater emphasis on social mobility and outcomes for graduating college students, demonstrating the most significant methodological change in the rankings’ history.
For a complete look at the rankings and report, go here.
UF is also the most difficult college to get into in the state.
Based on data from the U.S. Department of Education, of the 27 colleges or universities in Florida with available data, the University of Florida, located in Gainesville, ranks as the hardest school to enter. Only 30.1% of applicants for the fall 2021 semester were admitted, and the median SAT score among enrolled students in the 2020-2021 academic year was 1375 out of a possible 1600.
Founded in 1853, the University of Florida is a public school that enrolls over 34,000 undergrads. With a campus that spans over 2000 acres, students will find large academic buildings, dorms, and libraries. For those who are Florida residents, the tuition is $6380. The students from other locations will pay $28,658 annually and can apply for financial assistance.
UF is also the nation’s 28th highest-ranked school, improving one place from its ranking last year. The college was tied with three others in the national ranking: the University of Southern California, the University of California, San Diego and the University of California, Davis.
It did, however, fall from fifth to sixth in US public school rankings.
In Orange County, the University of Central Florida ranked #6 in the state, and tied for #124 as best college overall and #64 in public schools.
Florida State University ranked #53 overall and tied for #23 among public schools.
Rollins College in Winter Park ranked #1 among 136 regional institutions in the south, which matched its ranking from a year ago.
