- Comparison Schools
- February Forum
- Guiding Questions
- January Forum
- President's Message 10-30-2003
- Study Teams
- Timetable
Annual Activities
Comparison Schools
Strategic analyses entail benchmarking activities that include comparisons with other institutions. For this first phase of strategic planning, Study Teams will conduct analyses with a common set of comparison schools. There are two groups of comparison schools: schools of aspiration and peer institutions. Members of both groups were selected by the President and her Cabinet, with the assistance of an external consultant for strategic planning, Ms. Rosemary Miklitsch, after a thorough examination of institutional data retrieved from the federal IPEDS database and from US News Rankings.
All of the institutions in the Aspirant Group are private, Master's level comprehensive schools that are consistently ranked in the top tier of their geographic region in the annual US News rankings. All but three members of this group are Catholic institutions. Various aspects of institutions in the Aspirant Group will be examined by Study Teams, including financial indicators, admissions profiles and size of applicant pools, program offerings and accreditation statuses, distinctive aspects of curriculum and mission, especially as they relate to Catholic identity or faith-based values. There are 11 institutions in the Aspirant Group of comparison schools.
Schools of Aspiration
| Rank | School | State | Peer Assessment Score |
Average Freshman Retention Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Villanova University | (PA) | 4.1 | 94% |
| 1 | Creighton University | (NE) | 4.0 | 86% |
| 2 | Valparaiso University | (IN) | 3.9 | 86% |
| 3 | Bradley University | (IL) | 3.8 | 86% |
| 4 | John Carroll University | (OH) | 3.8 | 86% |
| 6 | Xavier University | (OH) | 3.7 | 89% |
| 6 | Loyola University New Orleans | LA | 3.6 | 82% |
| 9 | Elon University | (NC) | 3.6 | 85% |
| 13 | St. Joseph's University | (PA) | 3.4 | 86% |
| 9 | St. Mary's College of California | CA | 3.3 | 88% |
| 18 | Marist College | NY | 3.1 | 92% |
All members of the Peer Group are private, Master's level comprehensive schools that are usually ranked at the lower ends of Tier I schools in the annual US News ranking, or at the upper ends of the Tier II category of annual US News rankings. A critical factor used to select members of the Peer Group was the peer assessment ratings gathered on behalf of US News by a national opinion research firm. Schools in the Peer Group have ratings that are within the range attained by Saint Xavier University over the past three year years.
Peer Institutions
| Rank | School | State | Peer Assessment Score |
Average Freshman Retention Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1- 26 | St. Edward's University | TX | 3.2 | 75% |
| Tier 2 | St. Xavier University | (IL) | 3.1 | 78% |
| Tier 1-14 | Dominican University | IL | 3.0 | 82% |
| Tier 1- 21 | College of St Scholastica | MN | 3.0 | 81% |
| Tier 1- 24 | Regis University | CO | 3.0 | 79% |
| Tier 1- 21 | Benedictine University | IL | 2.9 | 77% |
| Tier 2 | Sacred Heart Univ | CT | 2.9 | 79% |
| Tier 2 | Marymount University | VA | 2.9 | 77% |
| Tier 2 | St. Ambrose Univ | IA | 2.8 | 78% |