Many people who come into contact with The University of Texas at Austin find themselves suddenly compelled to tell other people how wonderful it is. It’s just something that happens. There are no studies to explain this phenomenon, but it’s not surprising.
The next time you find yourself preaching the Longhorn gospel, it would be good to have proof to back up your claims.
Luckily, there’s much proof that What Starts Here Changes the World.
Here is a guide to the many ways UT Austin was recognized as one of the best universities in the world in 2017.
1. No. 1 grad programs: U.S. News & World Report four graduate programs No. 1 in the nation.
Graduate programs in accounting, petroluem engineering, Latin American history and sociology of population were ranked No. 1 in the 2017 Best Grad Schools ranking. More than 30 other graduate programs were ranked in the top 10, including the programs in archives and preservation and law librarianship, which ranked No. 2; and programs in pharmacy, information systems and education administration ranked No. 3.
2. No. 1 best value programs: U.S. News also declared the MBA to be the best value in its class.
U.S. News ranked the McCombs MBA as the No. 1 best value in the country among top business schools thanks to its high starting-salary-to-debt ratio.
3. Top research institution: UT ranked No. 22 in the world for scientific research in the 2017 Nature Index.
UT ranked No. 10 among U.S. academic Institutions and No. 4 among public universities in the ranking, which measures research productivity of the top global institutions by tabulating the articles published in elite natural science journals. UT also had top rankings in three specialty subject areas: earth and environmental sciences (No. 9), chemistry (No. 21) and physical sciences (No. 26).
4. Best value: Kiplinger and American Business Journals both rated UT as the best college value in Texas.
Kiplinger ranked UT No. 8 for best value among public colleges in the U.S. and the No. 1 best value in Texas. The American Business Journals’ Business First academic ranking listed UT No. 14 among U.S. public universities and No. 1 in Texas.
5. Best in the world: U.S. News named UT No. 32 in the world on its Best Global Universities list.
UT was also ranked near the top by other publications including No. 32 in the Times Higher Education’s World Reputation Rankings and No. 30 in the world by the Center for World University Rankings.
6. Innovation: UT is No. 8 on the list of the undergraduate programs that produce the most venture-capital-backed entrepreneurs compiled by Pitchbook.
Among public universities, UT was ranked No. 3 on the list of best places to attend if you want to become your own boss. The university also ranked No. 12 on the list of the 50 Best U.S. Colleges for Aspiring Entrepreneurs by College Choice, which cites on-campus incubators and the surrounding entrepreneurial community of Austin among reasons for the university’s high ranking.
7. Movie moguls: The Hollywood Reporter ranked UT’s Radio-Television-Film program No. 11 on its list of the Top 25 American Film Schools.
Among public universities, UT was No. 2 on the list. The annual ranking is determined by surveys of members of filmmaking guilds and industry insiders.
8. Campus treasures: The Harry Ransom Center and Blanton Museum of Art were near the top of lists ranking the best college museums.
The Blanton Museum of Art was ranked No. 8 on Best College Reviews’ list of the Best College Art Museums, and the Harry Ransom Center was ranked No. 13 on College Rank’s list of The 50 Most Amazing College Museums.
9. Healthy horns: UT was ranked No. 17 on the Healthiest Colleges list compiled by Greatist.
The ranking from Greatist noted the university’s innovative use of digital and social media for health promotion and healthy offerings at dining halls. UT was also named No. 5 on The 25 Fittest Colleges in America list compiled by Men’s Fitness. No doubt helping Longhorns stay fit is the fact that the Forty Acres also boasts some serious fitness facilities, landing near the top of multiple lists of the best college recreation centers by Best College Reviews, Outstanding Colleges and College Rank.
10. Happy horns: Business Insider ranked UT No. 4 on its list of colleges where students love life.
As the previous rankings attest, there are plenty of reasons for Longhorns to love life on the Forty Acres, from the incredible value to the elite academics and premier sports programs to its location in Austin and the sheer amount of amenities and opportunities for students — whatever they’re interested in.
There are many more ways UT is great, of course. After all, the university’s mission, as a state flagship university, is to serve society in a large variety of ways, as UT Austin President Gregory L. Fenves put it in his 2017 State of the University Address.
“Our deepest purpose as a university is to unlock potential.” – UT President Gregory L. Fenves
