Media Contact: Dolores Davies (858) 534-5994 or ddavies@ucsd.edu

UCSD RANKS SEVENTH NATIONALLY IN ANNUAL SURVEY

The University of California, San Diego ranked as the seventh best public university in the nation in the annual America's Best Colleges survey issued today by U.S. News and World Report.

UCSD, for the first time, was also ranked as one of the most ethnically diverse campuses in the nation. In a U.S. News ranking based on a formula that factors in the total proportion of minority students at a university - not including international students - and the mix of racial and ethnic groups, UCSD ranked 22nd among national universities.

The guide rated more than 1,400 schools, designating the nation's top 50 national universities and 50 best public national universities, as well as the top liberal arts and regional colleges.

Of the top 50 public universities, at seventh place UCSD outranked much older institutions such as the University of Washington, University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign), University of Wisconsin (Madison), Purdue and Georgia Tech.

Among the nation's top national universities, both public and private, UCSD ranked 31st. As defined by U.S. News, "National universities offer a full range of undergraduate majors, as well as master's and doctoral degrees. Many strongly emphasize research."

U.S. News bases its national rankings on academic reputation, graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, alumni giving, and graduation rates.

The rankings are available on the U.S. News Web site ( www.usnews.com ); the U.S. News magazine will be available on newsstands Sept. 4.