UF Ranks First Among Public Schools For National Achievement Scholars

December 18, 2002

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The University of Florida ranked first among public institutions in attracting National Achievement Scholars during the past year, according to rankings released today.

In addition, with 186 National Merit Scholars recruited, UF placed second among 141 public institutions and fifth among 370 participating universities nationwide, the rankings show. UF was the only Florida school to rank in the top 10 among both public and all institutions nationwide in National Merit recruitment.

“For the third year in a row the University of Florida has had one of the top 10 entering freshmen classes at public universities in the United States,” said UF Provost David Colburn.

“The number of National Merit scholars and National Achievement scholars reflects the overall quality of this year’s entering class. These students recognize the unique educational opportunities available at the University of Florida and the extraordinary quality of our faculty with whom they will work.”

UF recruited 51 National Achievement Scholars in 2002, more than double that of the nation’s second-ranked public school, Florida A&M, according to the ranking of 61 public institutions. That number places UF third among 133 institutions – both public and private – nationwide that participated, with only Harvard and Howard universities attracting more cream-of-the-crop minority students.

The National Achievement Scholars program recognizes minority students who place well on the Scholastic Aptitude Test. The top 10 ranked participating schools, followed by the number of recruited Achievement Scholars are:

1. Harvard University – 59

2. Howard University – 54

3. University of Florida – 51

4. Stanford University – 45

5. Washington University, St. Louis – 43

6. Yale University – 36

7. Princeton University – 30

8. Duke University – 25

9. University of Southern California – 22

10. Florida A&M – 20

Merit Scholars are selected from among more than 15,000 semifinalists nationally by the National Merit Scholarship Corp. The students scored in the top one-half percent of high school seniors in their state on the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test – National Merit Scholar Qualifying Test. The top 10 ranked participating schools, followed by the number of recruited Merit Scholars are:

1. Harvard/Radcliffe – 396

2. University of Texas, Austin – 266

3. Stanford – 223

4. University of Chicago – 189

5. University of Florida – 186

6. Yale – 180

7. Rice University – 169

8. University of South Carolina – 163

9. University of Oklahoma – 162

10. Texas A&M – 156