Colleges That Change Lives

Willamette University enriches students’ lives for the better, according to “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About Colleges.”

The national guide, which was first published in 1996, is designed as an aid for prospective college students and their parents. Content for the newest edition is base on school tours and candid assessments by students, professors and deans.

According to the guide, "...Willamette is a rising star — a place that does its work well and has momentum to claim its rightful spot among the few colleges in this country that prioritize undergraduate education.”

Among the top producers of Fulbright scholars in the nation

Willamette University is among the top producers of U.S. Fulbright Fellows. Two professors from Willamette won Fulbright awards for 2012-13, making Willamette one of two Oregon schools in the listing of top universities.

In addition, fifteen Willamette students and alumni have received Fulbright grants in the past five years. Under the Fulbright program, American students are offered grants to study, teach English or conduct research in more than 150 countries.

One of America’s Top Colleges

Forbes ranked Willamette as the 26th best school in the West and the 100th best private school in the nation in 2013. The ranking "focuses on the things that matter the most to students: quality of teaching, great career prospects, graduation rates and low levels of debt."

One of the most affordable colleges in the nation

Washington Monthly has named Willamette University as the 25th most affordable liberal arts school in the nation in 2013. Willamette scored the highest among liberal arts colleges in Oregon for getting the “best bang for your buck.” According to the magazine, the listing measures “colleges in America that do the best job of helping non-wealthy students gain marketable degrees at affordable prices.”

U.S. News & World Report ranked Willamette University in the top tier of liberal arts colleges nationally in its 2013 edition of "Best Colleges." The magazine’s ranking formula takes account of factors such as SAT scores, student/faculty ratio, peer reputation and alumni giving.

U.S. News also named Willamette among the top 11 up-and-coming National Liberal Arts Colleges in 2011 for making the most promising and innovative changes in academics, faculty and student life.

One of the best value liberal arts colleges

Kiplinger's Personal Finance named Willamette among the best values in private liberal arts colleges nationwide for combining "outstanding quality with affordability." Willamette is ranked 72nd nationally. The list considers criteria such as average student debt, standardized test scores, students per faculty, graduation rate and net price.

One of the country's best universities

Willamette is featured in the 2014 Fiske Guide to Colleges, which highlights the country's best and most interesting colleges and universities. Willamette's professors get "high marks for being amazing, engaging and supportive."

One of the nation's best universities for exemplary service

The Corporation for National and Community Service named Willamette to the 2012 Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with Distinction. In 2009, Willamette was one of only six colleges and universities nationwide to earn the Presidential Award, the honor roll's highest award. Willamette students, faculty and staff volunteer about 149,000 hours annually.

Among the top 25 small schools for Peace Corps volunteers

Willamette consistently ranks among the top small schools in the country for number of alumni serving as Peace Corps volunteers. Since the Peace Corps was established in 1961, more than 300 Willamette alumni have joined its ranks.

Most-service oriented: a top school for encouraging students to give back

Newsweek ranked Willamette 12th among the nation's colleges and universities that "have the most service-minded students, faculty, and policies." The Newsweek ranking took into factors such as alumni involvement in the Peace Corps, students participation in community service, and the integration of service into classes.

One of the Best 378 Colleges

Willamette University was named as one of the top universities for undergraduate education by The Princeton Review’s popular guidebook, “The Best 378 Colleges.”

In the 2014 edition, Willamette was ranked 16th in the nation for providing the best health services, and scored exceptionally high for academics with 95 of a possible 99 points.

As students noted in the book, Willamette professors are “very willing to help students find internships, jobs and research opportunities.” The environment “encourages growth and development, both inside and outside the classroom,” and students fill their time with “philanthropic events, house parties or outdoor trips.”

Willamette also was featured in 2010 as one of 100 Best Value Colleges. The primary areas of consideration were academic quality, cost of attendance and financial aid.

One of the Best Value Law Schools

For the third straight year, Willamette University College of Law ranked among the Best Value Law Schools in the U.S. in PreLaw magazine. The schools on the list “carry a low price tag and are able to prepare their students incredibly well for today’s competitive job market.” In 2011, the College of Law was the only law school in Oregon on the "Best Value" list and was one of only two "honor roll" schools in California and the Pacific Northwest.

Ranked highly for number of Super Lawyers

In its inaugural ranking of U.S. law schools, Super Lawyers placed Willamette’s College of Law above most other area law schools. The ranking focused on the quality of lawyers produced by the schools and was based on the number of alumni named to state and regional Super Lawyers lists. Willamette had more than 140 law graduates named Super Lawyers in 2012.

One of the top green law schools

Willamette's College of Law earned recognition as one of the "Top Green Law Schools" by The National Jurist. Willamette earned a cum laude rating, and was one of 21 schools mentioned in the article. Schools were evaluated on green practices, campus environment, building trends and curriculum.

In 2012, the magazine also ranked Willamette's College of Law as 12th in the nation for best preparing students to pass the bar exam. The magazine evaluated 191 U.S. law schools, and Willamette ranked higher than any other school in Oregon.

A top 25 MBA program

The Aspen Institute’s Beyond Grey Pinstripes recognized MBA programs committed to ethics, environmental stewardship and social responsibility. Willamette’s MBA was ranked #23 in the world in 2011 and was among the top 10 for its business impact — which measured how courses prepared students to lead for-profit businesses that improved social and environmental conditions.

Among the top 15 programs for preparing students for marketing

The Princeton Review named Willamette’s Atkinson Graduate School of Management a Top 15 Program for Preparing Students for Marketing. The ranking is based on a survey of 19,000 students worldwide.

The Willamette MBA program is also among the Princeton Review’s Best 301 Business Schools.

Nationally accredited for excellence in teacher education

Willamette’s Graduate School of Education has earned initial accreditation from the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, a body that sets rigorous profession standards for teacher education programs.