BOONE—Appalachian State University remains at the No. 3 spot among the top public universities in the South, according to U.S. News and World Report’s 2012 America’s Best Colleges Guide. Appalachian is ranked 10th in the South among public and private four-year institutions in this year’s list, and is listed 12^th among regional universities in the South in the “Great Schools, Great Prices” category.

The university has placed among the top 15 public and private southern universities since the rankings first appeared in 1986.

“For Appalachian to have been selected as one of the best values in public higher education while wrestling with the challenging financial times is a tribute to the commitment of our faculty and staff,” said Chancellor Kenneth E. Peacock. “I am honored that again Appalachian has been recognized in this manner.  We have much to be proud of on this campus.”

Appalachian also is again included in the magazine’s “First-Year Experience,” “Learning Communities,” “A+ Schools for B Students” in the South and the “Up-and-Comers” lists.

The “First-Year Experience” listing includes schools that build into their curriculum first-year seminars or other academic programs that bring small groups of students together with faculty on a regular basis, the magazine reported. Appalachian is one of 18 schools noted for first-year experience programs and one of 18 schools cited for their learning community programs in which “students take two or more linked courses as a group and get to know one another and their professors well.”

“Appalachian State University is proud to offer a First Year Seminar program in which our entering students are introduced to the intellectual life of the university and rigorously prepared for the academic challenges they will face after their freshmen year,” said Michael Krenn, faculty coordinator of First Year Seminar.

The “A+ Schools for B Students” category is a list of 19 colleges or universities in the South where “where nonsuperstars have a decent shot at being accepted and thriving—where spirit and hard work could make all the difference in admissions offices,” according to the magazine.

The “Up-and-Comers” list includes colleges and universities that were cited most often by college presidents, provosts and admissions administrators asked to identify schools they think have recently made the most promising and innovative changes in the areas of academics, faculty, student life, campus or facilities. Appalachian is one of six universities included in the regional listing for the South.

Other universities appearing in the magazine’s Top Public Regional Universities in the South category are:

1. The Citadel
2. James Madison University
3. Appalachian State University
4. College of Charleston (tie)
4. UNC Wilmington (tie)
6. University of Mary Washington
7. Winthrop University
8. Murray State University
9. Christopher Newport University
10. Longwood University