Columbia climbed to fourth place in U.S. News & World Report’s 2011 ranking of national universities, which was released on August 16. Columbia was tied for eighth a year ago. Harvard, which had tied with Princeton for first place in 2010, took over sole possession of the top spot this year, followed by Princeton and Yale. Stanford and Penn were tied for fifth, CalTech and MIT tied for seventh and Dartmouth, Duke and Chicago tied for ninth.

U.S. News’ ratings were begun in 1983 and are based on peer evaluations, graduation and freshman retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, graduation rate performance and alumni giving rate. This year, the methodology was adjusted to add high school counselors to the peer evaluations and to give more weight to graduation and retention rates.

For more information, go to http://www.usnews.com or http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/national-universities-rankings.

For the second consecutive summer, a group of talented New York City teenagers from low and moderate income families have come to Columbia University for an introduction to rigorous, college-level coursework in the humanities thanks to a unique collaboration between the University's Center for American Studies and its Double Discovery Center (DDC) for local high school students.

The summer coursework is based on Introduction to Contemporary Civilization, the oldest course in Columbia’s Core Curriculum, and emphasizes the twin themes of freedom and citizenship. Instructors include philosopher and dean of Columbia College Michele Moody-Adams; history professors Andrew Delbanco, who also directs the Center for American Studies, Casey Blake, faculty chair for the Center for American Studies, Roosevelt Montás, director of Columbia’s Center for the Core Curriculum, as well as history professor Eric Foner.

For more information on the program, click here.

The Fulbright U.S. Student ETA Program to Brazil has a SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY for an additional 20 ETA Awards for grants beginning in MARCH 2011. In addition, the number of ETA grants for Brazil for March 2012 has increased to 30.

Applicants who are available to begin a grant in March 2011 (e.g., spring 2011 graduating seniors will not be eligible) and wish to be considered for the Brazil ETA March 2011 awards must select this option from the dropdown menu in Question 3, Special Opportunity, in the Online Application. Candidates recommended for the Brazil ETA March 2011 Award will be notified by mid-December 2010, with final grant offers made in January 2011.

More than 3,000 alumni and guests celebrated their reunion from June 3-6 and Dean's Day on June 5, with events on campus and in venues around New York City.

View photos from the weekend:

Class Photos
Young Alumni Party at the USS Intrepid
Receptions & Lectures
Starlight Reception