Westminster College in Fulton has again gained national recognition among college ranking firms.
The data-driven national education firm, College Factual, which is in partnership with USA Today, ranked Westminster third in the United States among all American colleges and universities for "Most Focused" in the fields of biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology.
Rice University in Houston, Texas and Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa, ranked first and second, respectively.
"We are extremely proud that College Factual has placed some of our science programs in the most select group in the nation," aIS Westminster President Dr. Benjamin Ola. Akande. "The number of successful graduates we have in these fields is a testament to what strong preparation our students receive."
College Factual evaluates all college and universities together and calculates its "Most Focused" rankings by considering fields of study, the number of majors in that field, the percentage of the student body taking those major, and the national rankings of majors in that field. The formula is based on the premise that colleges who put more emphasis on certain majors will more likely do a better job of teaching them and provide more resources for those majors.
Westminster science students have the opportunity for independent and collaborative research at the college's state-of-the art Coulter Science Center, and they receive a great deal of personalized instruction from the faculty. Students are offered opportunities to study and research at other institutions abroad as well as participate in off-campus research trips in locations such as Belize, Kenya, and Peru.
Due to the intensive and individualized approach to these majors that Westminster students experience, they often have an edge in gaining positions in laboratories, chemical industries and pharmaceutical firms or advancing into prestigious graduate or medical school programs.
The school also ranked in the top 10 percent of all American colleges and universities for "Most Focused" in the field of international studies.
Students in the field of international studies conduct graduate school level analysis of issues and topics related to international studies and are required to do an honors thesis level paper that is suitable for submission to graduate and professional schools or for a dossier for careers in international affairs and other professions.
Students also have opportunities to study abroad and participate in Westminster's award winning Model United Nations program. Research materials are also available from the National Churchill Museum located on campus.
"We pride ourselves on the global community we have established on our campus," said Akande. "Its diversity has led to an outstanding international studies program and helps us fulfill our promise of developing leaders who are ready to serve and make an impact across the globe."
Lastly, Westminster ranked in the top 5 percent overall for best American colleges and universities for the money.
Data to determine College Factual rankings comes from a number of sources, both public and private. The majority of the information comes from the Integrated Post-secondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics, a branch of the United States Department of Education.
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