The College of St. Scholastica recognized for social mobility

For the second year in a row, St. Scholastica has been honored as a Top Performer on Social Mobility by U.S. News and World Report. In the report released Monday, Sept. 13, the College improved its rankings and climbed to no. 100 out of 391 schools in the National Universities category.

This ranking recognizes the College’s success in enrolling and graduating students who receive Pell Grants; these recipients typically come from families whose incomes are less than $50,000. U.S. News aggregates Pell Grant recipients’ graduation rates and graduation performance in determining this social mobility ranking.

Ultimately, the category measures which higher education institutions best serve economically disadvantaged students.

“Since our founding, the College has been committed to providing educational opportunities for those who might otherwise not have access,” said Lindsay Schall, executive director for enrollment management. “This ranking validates our commitment and sends an important message to deserving students: ‘you belong here.’”

Among St. Scholastica’s 2,244 undergraduate students, 24% receive a Pell Grant. The College has recently joined a national effort to double the maximum Pell Grant from $6,495 to $13,000.

Schall said there is a common misconception that private tuition is unaffordable. “We take a lot of pride in our ability to ensure that our world-class programs are accessible to students from any background,” she said. This includes millions of dollars in scholarships and grants to students every year.

In other rankings news, St. Scholastica appears on U.S. News and World Report’s 2022 Best National Universities List and the Princeton Review’s 2022 list of Best Midwestern Colleges.

St. Scholastica is a 109-year-old private, independent college founded in the Catholic Benedictine tradition. It is nationally recognized for quality and value. It has been named the top Minnesota college for economic mobility. Learn more at css.edu.