SUNY Potsdam has been named one of the top tier public and private regional universities in the northern United States in the University-Master’s category of the 2010 edition of “U.S. News & World Report’s” guide, “America’s Best Colleges.” This is the 11th consecutive year “U.S. News” has recognized Potsdam as one of the nation’s highest-quality institutions.

“I’m sure that being ranked among the top universities in the nation helps,” said Tom Nesbitt, director of admissions, “but in the end it is the learning environment, the access to high-impact experiences, the arts-rich campus and tight-knit community that will make Potsdam a great fit for students and foster their success.”

“U.S. News” bases its rankings on assessment by administrators at peer institutions, retention of students, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources and alumni giving. The indicators include input measures that reflect a school’s student body, its faculty, and its financial resources, along with outcome measures that signal how well the institution does its job of educating students.

“At SUNY Potsdam we take pride in the recognition of the accomplishments of our graduates,” said John F. Schwaller, president. “For 200 years this has translated into respect and recognition for the excellence of the programs of the College.  While we are happy to be recognized in ‘U. S. News’ as one of the nation’s best colleges, our students and alumni are constituencies to whom we turn to inform ourselves about how to best fulfill our mission.”

“U.S. News” classifies regional universities as those that provide a full range of undergraduate and master’s level programs, but few, if any, doctoral programs.

Even though admission to SUNY Potsdam is becoming increasingly selective, the College’s Class of 2013 is a large incoming class with approximately 835 students. The campus also will welcome approximately 325 new transfer students to its classrooms.

SUNY Potsdam’s incoming first-year class is again very academically talented this year. The academic profile of the first-year students is an 88 grade point average, an SAT score of 1090 and an ACT score of 23.

Students who choose to live on campus enjoy the unique sense of community. The College’s residence halls will be full again this year with nearly 2,400 of the College’s approximately 4,450 students living on campus. Visit http://www.potsdam.edu .