University of South Florida

TAMPA, Fla. (Aug. 20, 2007) – Improved graduation rates and higher achieving students stand out among the University of South Florida’s performance measures in the 2008 U. S. News & World Report’s annual college ranking.

The six-year graduation rate increased in 2007.  In addition, an increasing percentage of entering freshmen are coming from the top 10 percent of their high school classes and higher SAT and ACT measures for entering freshmen are holding steady after a five-year rise.

“There is very significant improvement in student success at USF,” said USF Provost Renu Khator.  “While last year’s scores have held steady, there has been a consistent positive increase in the freshman retention rate across the past five years and we believe that has a lot to do with the dramatic rise in the number of students who have excelled in high school and scored high on achievement tests and USF’s ability to enroll a more qualified class.  It’s wonderful that we’re attracting top students locally, state-wide, nation-wide and from around the world and they are graduating at a rate that is especially significant for a metropolitan university.”

The University of South Florida is among the nation's top 63 public research universities and one of 76 community engaged universities as designated by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. It is one of Florida’s top three research universities. USF was awarded more than $310 million in research contracts and grants last year. The University offers 217 degree programs at the undergraduate, graduate, specialty and doctoral levels, including the doctor of medicine. The University has a $1.6 billion annual budget, an annual economic impact of $3.2 billion, and serves 44,038 students on campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota-Manatee and Lakeland. USF is a member of the Big East Athletic Conference.

- USF -

Barbara Melendez
News Coordinator
University Communications & Marketing
813-974-4563
bmelendez@admin.usf.edu

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