Ruth Santana | Staff Writer
Once upon a time, FIU’s reputation was nothing spectacular and now it has reached its best ranking yet.
In 2023, FIU landed 64th in the U.S. News and World Report list of Best Public Universities; it has since jumped 18 points in 2025, becoming one of the top 50 public universities and top 100 in public and private institutions.
Though this ranking might not seem like a big deal to a lot of us, it does affects the students, faculty and university’s future.
It’s great that my school is reaching new heights, but the more important thing is that we stay up there. Just because we made the top 50 now doesn’t mean FIU should stop improving.
Student life is considered in the ranking and as a commuter, FIU does have a good student life, but I find out about events too late or on days I won’t be able to make it on campus. And online students are getting the even shorter end of the stick.
U.S. News and World Report adjusted their ranking system this year to highlight the graduation rate of students on Pell Grants and graduates who entered the workforce with manageable debt.
Making universities more affordable will not only improve the livelihood of graduates but also our economy. This coupled with FIU’s elevated graduate employment rates reassures me that after graduation I won’t be drowning in debt.
No surprise that an international school scored high on the diversity part of the ranking. We are one of the largest universities in the nation with a varied student body and an 84% minority enrollment rate.
For me, a high diversity percentage makes a school more attractive and welcoming. It also enhances the academic sphere with different perspectives and experiences being shared, along with improving critical thinking and empathy.
As a public university, ranking influences how much federal funding our school gets for future and ongoing research projects, campus development and student aid.
College ranking does affect employability to some degree. Getting into an esteemed college looks good in a resume and it could pique the interest of employers.
This is all subjective of course, but coming from a school with a higher ranking can help graduates.
FIU has grown over the years and the university has focused its efforts on what matters, us. Hopefully, this upward trend will continue, but only time will tell.
*This article was edited on 10/03/2024 for punctuation and grammar.
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The opinions presented on this page do not represent the views of the PantherNOW Editorial Board. These views are separate from editorials and reflect individual perspectives of contributing writers and/or members of the University community.
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