The Golden Bears were no match for the Tar Heels this year, falling from third to fourth place in the Top Public School rankings by the Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education College Rankings.
UNC topped the University of California at Berkeley for the third spot as the top public school and was ranked 33rd overall best university in the country, putting UNC in the top 10 percent of the nation's schools. At the top of the list was the University of California at Los Angeles, with the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor coming in second.
“I think it’s pretty dope; we go to a great school with great programs that are diverse and provide so much opportunity,” Liam Boggia, a junior economics and statistics major, said.
The WSJ ranking evaluated the learning environments, educational outcomes, student engagement and student resources of more than 800 public and private universities.
UNC was named No. 23 for "outcomes," which measured the salaries and debt levels of recent graduates, along with a school’s graduation rates and academic reputation.
UNC snagged the 27th spot for "engagement," which was based on how students felt about teaching and interactions with faculty and other students. The University squeezed into the top 100 for "resources," which measured spending on instruction and student services.
The University was ranked No. 359 for "environment," a category analyzing the diversity of the campus.
“It’s awesome to see UNC get some positive recognition,” Sam Gimenez, a sophomore radiological science major said. “There are a lot of bright people here with big brains that are going to change the world.”
UC Berkeley was ranked No. 18 for "outcomes," No. 27 for "environment," No. 111 for "engagement" and No. 200 for "resources."
