In August, U.S. News & World Report ranked Northeastern 115 out of 248 national universities in its influential annual assessment of America's best colleges. The new rank puts Northeastern five spots higher in the "best national universities" top tier, which it entered for the first time last year.

Northeastern's jump in the rankings reflects the progress the university has made in several key categories, including student selectivity and student retention.

The university's acceptance rate dropped from 47 to 42 percent between 2003 and 2004. Freshman retention increased from 84 to 86 percent. Also rising were median SAT scores and the number of freshmen who placed within the top 10 percent of their high school class.

In addition, for the fourth consecutive year, U.S. News highlighted Northeastern among the nation's top schools in the "programs to look for" section, under the "internships/co-ops" category.

"We are pleased to see that U.S. News & World Report has recognized the continued progress of Northeastern University," says President Freeland. "We believe that this progress underscores our commitment to providing students with a uniquely valuable educational experience, blending academic excellence with our flagship co-op program."

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