Washington Monthly magazine has ranked the University of Washington Bothell No. 5 on its 2019 list of best four-year colleges in the nation for adult learners.
The nonprofit publication, headquartered in Washington, D.C., ranked colleges according to eight factors that specifically affect adult learning, including ease of transferring, schedule flexibility and services for undergraduates over the age of 25. Sources included the Department of Education’s Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System and the College Board’s Annual Survey of Colleges.
“We’re very proud of our commitment to improve access for all students and serve the communities in our region,” said Sharon A. Jones, vice chancellor for academic affairs. “In many cases, these are students with full-time jobs who we support with classes that fit their schedules. Some programs in the School of Nursing & Health Studies accommodate working nurses by scheduling classes on campus only one day a week. Another example is the Eastside Learning Center in Bellevue where the School of Business reaches students closer to where they work.”
Washington Monthly said nearly a third of all undergraduates nationally are 25 or older. At UW Bothell, it’s currently more than 23%.
Adult learners received a separate ranking in the magazine’s 15th annual College Guide and Rankings, which also ranked UW Bothell as No. 18 on its separate ranking of “best bang for the buck” colleges. UW Tacoma was No. 4 on that list. Overall, the magazine ranked the UW at No. 19 nationally.
In contrast to some other rankings, Washington Monthly said it ranks schools based on their public good in social mobility, research and public service.
The ranking is the latest this year in which UW Bothell has scored high. SmartAsset, a New York-based financial technology company, ranked UW Bothell No. 2 on its list of best value colleges in the state of Washington. CNBC’s “Make It” ranking listed UW Bothell No. 2 nationally among U.S. public colleges that “pay off the most.”
