September 4, 2019 - By Kenneth Mashinchi, UC Merced - UC Merced moved into the top 10 in the country in first-generation student performance in the Washington Monthly 2019 College Guide and Rankings released last week. The university — with more than 73 percent of the undergraduate student population being first generation, double the national average and the highest percentage in the UC system — ranked No. 8, jumping five spots from No. 13 in the 2018 rankings.
UC Merced also ranked No. 8 in the nation for the performance of students who receive Pell grants, the second straight year the campus ranked in the top 10 in the category. The university is the only public university and only research university in the country to have over 60 percent Pell-eligible students and a graduation rate over 60 percent.
Among the 395 colleges and universities included by Washington Monthly — which differs from other rankings by focusing on social mobility, research and public service opportunities — the university ranked No. 23 in social mobility and No. 53 overall. UC Merced also was recognized for value, ranking No. 26 in the guide’s Best Bang for the Buck – West, and earnings, ranking No. 28 in earnings performance.
“At UC Merced we serve an incredibly diverse population of students, many of them first-generation students from underrepresented and low-income families,” Interim Chancellor Nathan Brostrom said. “These students are thriving in spite of the obstacles they have faced, and that’s because of their own hard work and dedication, and also the support they receive from faculty, staff and their peers at UC Merced. We are proud to be recognized for the performance of our students and the value we provide.”
The appearance in Washington Monthly’s rankings continues a strong summer of rankings for the university. In June, UC Merced debuted in a tie for No. 4 among U.S. universities in the Times Higher Education Young University Rankings, which ranks the best 351 universities in the world that are 50 years or younger. Earlier this month, the university made its debut in The Princeton Review’s “Best 385 Colleges” guide.
Source: UC Merced
