By Laura Hays
Goodwell, Okla. — Oklahoma Panhandle State University was recently named one of the top 30 regional colleges in the West in the annual U.S. News and World Report (USNWR) rankings. OPSU’s ranking improved due to increased graduation rates, a higher score on the peer assessment rating, and an increase in ACT/SAT scores of our enrolling students. Political science professor Dr. Brent Burgess wrote a section of his dissertation on USNWR rankings and understands how the ratings are determined. He said, “The rankings show OPSU making improvements in three categories (named above). It is interesting because many of our regional competitors were not included in USNWR’s rankings of top schools. To me, this indicates that we are doing something right.”
Burgess went on to say it can be difficult for a local school situated in a rural community to overcome the perception that it must be somehow inferior to larger schools. He believes OPSU’s ranking this year demonstrates that those assessments are at least misguided if not completely false. For the past several years, OPSU has increased its focus on recruiting, retaining, and graduating quality students. Burgess pointed out that it has not happened overnight, but the rankings indicate that OPSU continues to move in the right direction.
“I am always amazed at how awesome our students are. I’ve taught at many different places and I think some of our upper level students and graduates can compete with anyone,” Burgess said.
