New Ranking Features Student Input, Places TAMIU Among Best in Texas, West, Nation
A higher education data site, College Consensus, is combining major publication reviews with insight from University students and others in a new ranking of private and public universities.
Laredo’s Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) earned impressive spots on the group’s Best Colleges and Universities in Texas (#24), Best Regional Universities West (#42), and Best Public Colleges & Universities (#158).
TAMIU president Dr. Pablo Arenaz said the new rankings offer an innovative look into universities that should figure into consideration by students and their families.
“This is an intriguing, innovative ranking that really values the opinions of our University community members: students, faculty and staff…those who know the University’s strengths and have daily exposure to our mission…so I’m happy to see that we are well regarded on all three surveys. For students and parents that are weighing their higher education options, I would say the College Consensus ranking is something that should be getting their attention,” Dr. Arenaz said.
For the Best in Texas ranking, TAMIU was the only A&M System regional campus included, with Texas A&M University ranking fifth in the survey.
For the Best Regional Universities West, of 87 public and private institutions surveyed, TAMIU was again the highest ranked A&M System campus and outranked University of the Incarnate Word (#54), University of Texas Permian Basin (#56), West Texas A&M University (#64) and Our Lady of the Lake University, (#81).
For the Best Public Colleges and Universities national ranking, 356 private and public institutions were reviewed. TAMIU was again the highest A&M System regional campus, and outranked the University of Houston (#205), Texas State University (#215) and the University of Texas at San Antonio, (#331). Texas A&M University was ranked number 19 in the survey.
For all three rankings TAMIU’s Publisher Score was 43 and its Student Score 76, averaging a Consensus Score of 59.5.
On their website, the authors maintain that this balanced insight is independently important.
“The College Consensus method is intended to produce a different kind of ranking, one that takes all of the stakeholders in higher education. Compiling and aggregating rankings and reviews means that the word of faculty and administrators, experts and students, are all taken into account equally. That leads to a less biased, more egalitarian ranking, one that shows prospective students the broadest picture of their options,” according to the website.
The rankings provide an easy, single score that presents a more holistic vision and helps show how students feel about their ranked institution.
Among publisher sites included in the methodology are Forbes, U.S. News and World Report, Wall Street Journaland WalletHub, among others.
The College Consensus rankings are available at: https://www.collegeconsensus.com
Just last week, TAMIU was singled out as being one of Texas’ Best Colleges for Getting Jobs by Zippia, an online career resource platform. TAMIU was ranked 8th in the State, citing a 91.58% student employment. That ranking followed an American Council for Education report scoring TAMIU as the top Texas college highlighted in its report, Minority Serving Institutions as Engines of Upward Mobility.
Fall 2018 classes at TAMIU begin Thursday, Aug. 28.
TAMIU Fall registration information is available from the TAMIU Office of the Registrar at 956.326.2250, by email at registrar@tamiu.edu, or by visiting offices in the Senator Judith Zaffirini Student Success Center, 121.
University information is also available from TAMIU’s Office of Public Relations, Marketing and Information Services at 956.326.2180, email prmis@tamiu.edu, click online at tamiu.edu, or visit offices in the Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library, room 268.
Additional resources are shared on the University’s social media channels, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.