Forbes University Rankings 2012

Top University

If you’re currently deciding between college programs, looking at rankings can help you learn more about the schools you’re considering. While this is just a first step in learning more about each college, you should take in the information from as many university rankings as possible. One of the newest lists is compiled by Forbes and their companion website, Forbes.com.

About Forbes

While Forbes is an old and well-respected business magazine, they have only been compiling their college list, known as “America’s Best Colleges,” since 2008. They’re well-known for other major lists of importance, such as the Forbes 400, which is an annual list of the richest people in the United States. They haven’t officially called the America’s Best Colleges list an annual list, but they have updated it annual so far, so it seems as though this is the direction in which they’re heading.

The Forbes college list is unique in that it focuses on liberal arts colleges, rather than just rehashing other lists, which put a greater emphasis on the sciences. They have been praised for including schools that are not typically found on other lists, rather than focusing on Ivy League schools. Others have criticized their methodology, since it takes a number of non-conformable statistics into consideration.

Ranking Methodology

Many other magazines and organizations rely on surveys to compile their list, but Forbes’ approach is to gather information from fresh sources. Some of the factors considered when they compile their list include the following:

Student Graduation Rate
Alumni Inclusion in Who’s Who in America
Alumni Salary, as reported on PayScale.com
Professor Ratings and Evaluations, as reported on RateMyProfessor.com
Debt Accumulated by Students over the Course of Four Years
National Honors and Awards given to Students and Professors

In addition to providing the America’s Best College list, Forbes has also compiled a list that they call the “Top Colleges for Getting Rich.” This list relies on data mostly from PayScale.com, where alumni can report their earnings. However, this list has been criticized, since there is no way to confirm the reported salaries of alumni on PayScale.com and it is suspected that the reports on that website are skewed, since people have the option to give their salary or not. There have been a number of surprising schools included on this list, while other, more prominent schools have ranked lower.

Whether or not you want to believe that this list is technical and accurate doesn’t dismiss the fact that it is a unique view of the colleges you are considering. The Forbes list should just be one of the many college rankings lists you read, and on top of that, it is important to not rely too heavily on these lists. While they are useful tools for gathering information, other factors, like talking to professors and visiting campuses, are just as valuable.

The Top Online Universities in America

The Internet has revolutionized education so that now you can earn a degree entirely online from the comfort of your home. This is perfect for working professionals or anyone who wants to get ahead in a career without having to go to a physical campus everyday.

	The University of Phoenix is world-renowned for being the largest online university. Phoenix boasts dozens of different degrees at all levels that students can choose from. In the last four years alone, the university produced 80,000 graduates in high-demand fields as nursing, health care, teaching and IT. In addition to its online access, the school has campus locations within 10 miles of 87 million Americans. Learn More About University of Phoenix
	Liberty University has the reputation of being the largest online evangelical Christian university in the nation. Founded in 1971 by the late Reverend Jerry Falwell, Liberty's original name was Lynchburg Baptist College. Liberty obtained university status in 1984. In athletics, Liberty is a member of the Big South Conference for 18 sports, including football, hockey, and basketball. Academically, Liberty offers majors in over 70 subjects, including aeronautics, business, nursing, and more. Learn More About Liberty University
	Kaplan is organized into ten different academic schools, including Arts & Sciences, Business, Criminal Justice, Education, Health Sciences, IS & Technology, Legal Studies, Nursing, Continuing Education, and Concord Law School. All told, Kaplan offers more than 125 degrees and programs both off- and online, with more than 70 campus-based locations nationwide. Learn More About Kaplan University
	In addition to a host of options for students needing to transfer existing bachelor's and master's coursework into one of its more-than three dozen degree programs, Post University also welcomes military personnel to join its student body. Post offers detailed opportunities for veterans, those participating in active duty, as well as military dependent students. Learn More About Post University
	Ashford is a private liberal arts university based in Clinton, Iowa. But thanks to the World Wide Web, students from all over the world can access their online coursework. Originally founded in 1918 as Mount St. Clare College, Ashford has Catholic roots and today its NAIA-level athletic teams are known as The Saints, which compete in the Midwest Collegiate Conference in over a dozen sports. Learn More About Ashford University
	DeVry has dozens of campuses nationwide and delivers its coursework via the Web to thousands of online students studying for their degrees. At DeVry University, all degree programs are career-focused to ensure that proper training is given to students pursuing a specific job or career path. Learn More About DeVry University
	American InterContinental University, also known as AIU, is a private school accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association. Founded in 1970 as the American College of Applied Arts, AIU today has seven campuses in the US and UK and runs its online program out of its Chicago offices. AIU offers degree programs in several subjects, including healthcare, business, education, criminal justice, and more. Learn More About American InterContinental University
	For students looking for flexible and affordable online education, Walden University offers both. As a leading accredited online university for more than 40 years, Walden has more than 42,500 students, from all 50 states and more than 100 countries. Nearly 85 percent of Walden students are satisfied with their university, and would be likely to recommend Walden to others. Learn More About Walden University
	In 1892, S. Irving Strayer founded Strayer's Business College. Today, this is known as Strayer University and has over 70 non-residential campuses with more than 50,000 students nationwide. Strayer is highly regarded as producing as many students with computer science degrees as any other school in the country. Learn More About Strayer University
	Grand Canyon University was founded in 1949 as Grand Canyon College, an Arizona Southern Baptist school. (It reached university status in 1989.) Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association, GCU is typically featured among the Top 10 online colleges as ranked by The Online Education Database (OEDb). Learn More About Grand Canyon University
	Founded in 1839, Boston University is one of the oldest and most trusted universities that offers online education. At Boston Online, students can study liberal arts, business, science, criminal justice, health, music, nursing, and more to become well-rounded and productive individuals. Moreover, online programs offer a better sense of flexibility and convenience. Learn More About Boston University
	Capella University was founded in 1991 by Stephen Shank, the former CEO of Tonka, who felt that working adults were underserved by traditional brick-and-mortar universities. While their offices are located in downtown Minneapolis, being an online university, the majority of learning takes place outside of campus and instead via the Internet. Their motto: "Knowledge is solving problems no one else can." Learn More About Capella University