Wake Forest finds itself below the top-30 line for the second consecutive year in U.S. News & World Report’s annual Best National Universities list, which was released late last night. The media company ranked Wake Forest No. 46, one spot higher than its 2024 ranking of No. 47.

Wake Forest tied with four other universities for the No. 46 spot — Lehigh University, Purdue University Main Campus, University of Georgia and University of Washington. 

Most of the metrics were consistent with last year’s methodology, which introduced a new way of ranking schools, changing 17 of the 19 measures. This year, many top-ranked universities maintained their positions on the ranking. Princeton, MIT, and Harvard all took the No. 1, No.2 and No. 3 spots for the second consecutive year. 

The U.S. News Best National University Rankings are used every year by high school students to determine what undergraduate programs best fit their needs. After Wake Forest’s significant drop from last year, currently enrolled students voiced a range of concerns, including tuition costs and the validity of their degrees.

Last Fall, Wake Forest’s ranking dropped 18 spots from its No. 29 spot in 2023. This was the first time the university has been ranked out of the top 30 since 1996 and its lowest ranking since joining the National Universities list. 

New methodology solidified

Beginning last year, U.S. News no longer considers factors such as small class sizes, instruction by professors with a terminal degree, alumni giving average, graduate debt and students’ high school standings. Wake Forest highlights and prioritizes many of these elements, according to Vice President of Communications & Chief Communications Officer Brett Eaton. 

The algorithm also added 7 new indicators — four related to faculty research, two related to first-generation graduation rates and one related to graduate income. 

This year, the most significant change to the algorithm is that the six-year graduation rates and graduation rates performance for first-generation students (students who are the first in their families to attend college) were dropped from the formula. U.S. News explained that they removed this metric, after introducing it to last year’s ranking, in order to make their data more standardized. First generation student data is not currently used in any other rankings. 

The weight formerly allocated to first generation graduation rates was reallocated to six-year Pell Grant graduation rates and graduation rates performance, which increased from 3 to 5.5% of the overall formula to calculate the ranking.

University administration responds

In a Sept. 24 post on Inside WFU, Eric Maguire, vice president for enrollment, emphasized that the consistently lower ranking is in direct contrast with the high demand for a Wake Forest education. According to a recent Washington Post article, some well-regarded universities have missed their enrollment goals by 20% or more.

“The Class of 2028 was selected from a record applicant pool of 18,735, a seven percent increase over last year,” Maguire said. “Twenty-two percent of applicants were selected for admission, matching last year’s acceptance rate.”

As explained after last year’s ranking, President Susan R. Wente reiterated that the ranking is not reflective of the Wake Forest experience and influence. According to Insider WFU, 97% of the Class of ‘23 were employed or enrolled in graduate programs within six months of graduation. 

“Wake Forest sits in an enviable spot among colleges and universities,” Wente said. “We have a strong culture, embodied in our Pro Humanitate ethos, that calls to those who seek to be catalysts for good. Our approach to developing students to lead with character and integrity is rooted in our liberal arts foundation and deep faculty engagement.”

According to Provost Michele Gillespie, the U.S. News Ranking does not factor in the invaluable faculty expertise Wake Forest has. 

“Nearly 95% of Wake Forest’s full-time faculty have a doctoral or other terminal degree,” Gillespie said. “Our talented faculty teach and produce outstanding research and scholarship that makes an impact on society. They bring that research into the classroom and embrace experiential learning.”

Wake Forest was also ranked in the following categories:

• No. 35 in Best Value Schools (64th last year)
• No. 31 in Best Undergraduate Teaching
• No. 252 in Top Performers on Social Mobility (301st last year)
• No. 83 in Economics
• No. 18 in Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs

Wake Forest was placed consistently lower in other top-ranking lists. Wake Forest is currently ranked No. 137 in the Wall Street Journal’s ranking (61st last year) and No. 88 in Forbes’ ranking (86th last year).