UF was ranked No. 123 out of 600 of the smartest colleges in America.
UF surpassed Florida State University, which ranked 166, and the University of Central Florida at No. 237. UF trailed the California Institute of Technology at No. 1 and University of Miami at No. 69, according to Business Insider.
The rankings were based off students’ SAT or ACT scores.
Donna Winchester, UF strategic communications director, said she was not aware that Business Insider ranked UF at 123.
“It is a goal of the University of Florida to be considered among the top 10 for U.S. News & World Report,” Winchester said. “We are No. 14 nationally for 2014.”
Winchester said UF has been working toward national preeminence.
The Florida Legislature provides $75 million over five years to UF, she said. UF’s preeminence focus is interdisciplinary, while focusing on majors in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
UF chemical engineering sophomore Michael Green, 19, said he expects UF to be considered prestigious in comparison to the other colleges in the nation.
“It doesn’t surprise me that UF is ranked relatively high,” he said. “UF has high standards. They have to pick the best of the best.”
UF psychology junior Kayla Jackson, 20, said she believes UF’s rankings will improve due to its plan for national preeminence.
“The only way is to go up, and I believe that is why they named the campaign ‘UF Rising,’” Jackson said.
Winchester said national preeminence has helped UF continue to become a top college in the nation. UF uses funds to construct new buildings and hire prestigious faculty and staff.
“Some of the funding has gone to hire the best and the brightest professors,”she said.
[A version of this story ran on page 3 on 10/29/2014]
