Pacific University Named a "Hidden Gem" and "Best Northwest College" by College Raptor

Pacific University has been named a 2019 "Hidden Gem" by College Raptor, which also included the university among its Best Colleges in the Northwest.

College Raptor is a leading mobile-first college planning platform that helps families discover colleges based on academic and cultural fit, as well as personalized estimates of actual cost.

Bill Staib, College Raptor CEO, said the selections recognize Pacific as a leading institution in the country based on a combination of factors including the school’s graduation rates, campus diversity, endowment per student, and other key metrics as reported via the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) for the most recently available enrollment year.

“We carefully assemble our lists each year to provide students and families a trusted group of schools that fit what they are looking for,” said College Raptor CEO Bill Staib. “Each of these rankings is based on factors we feel most benefit a student’s success such as academic rigor, graduation rates, and student outcomes.”

Since 2014, College Raptor has produced its Best College Rankings to help give students and parents a starting point for their college search process. Rankings are based on a number of specific factors that are combined to form a single weighted score, which determines a school’s overall rank.

“Pacific has shown dedication to academic excellence and to fostering a community that supports the best educational opportunities for their students. We are proud to highlight them,” Staib continued. 

College Raptor’s Hidden Gems began in 2014 in tandem with the Best Colleges Rankings, in an attempt showcase incredible schools of high quality and overall health. To qualify for the Hidden Gem list, institutions must receive fewer than 5,000 applications for admission per year and have an undergraduate student enrollment of 7,000 or fewer. Additional criteria are also weighed.

“Finding hidden gems for students is core to how we help students and families discover great college choices. That’s why we love putting out our Hidden Gems lists each year to highlight excellent schools like Pacific,” Staib said. 

Pacific University is a small, but diverse learning community, where students thrive in a personal academic environment. Tracing its roots to 1849, when it was chartered as a school for orphans of the Oregon Trail, Pacific has long been devoted to making a difference in the world. Today, students study in a unique combination of undergraduate, graduate and professional programs in the liberal arts and sciences, business, education, health professions and optometry. Located in Oregon, Pacific serves a diverse population of more than 3,800 students, with campuses in Forest Grove, Hillsboro, Eugene and Woodburn. At Pacific University, students and faculty develop close, nurturing relationships that provide an extraordinary educational experience.