Georgia Southern University was named recently the fourth most popular university in the country by "U.S. News and World Report" in its annual rankings. Georgia Southern joins Harvard University, Stanford University, and others in the rankings that feature the Top 20 most popular universities based on yield, which the number of students who are accepted and then opt to enroll at a particular college.
      Georgia Southern was ranked as the fourth in the nation behind Brigham Young, Harvard and Stanford Universities and came in ahead of Ivy League schools Princeton and Yale. Also, Georgia Southern was the only state school and one of only three in the southeast to make the list.
      "This is the latest example of Georgia Southern University's continued climb in enrollment, academic quality and national reputation and proves what thousands of Georgia Southern University students and alumni have known for decades," said GSU President Brooks Keel, Ph.D. "Georgia Southern provides its students with an excellent education on one of the most beautiful campuses in the United States. The fact that nearly 70 percent of the students we accept decide to attend Georgia Southern is a testament to the greatness of this university."
      "U.S. News and World Report's" rankings were taken from the fall 2009 class, when 68.7 percent of students who were accepted by the university decided to attend Georgia Southern.
      "During our admissions process we work very hard to make sure students and their families not only learn about our university, but begin to feel a part of Georgia Southern," said Teresa Thompson, university vice president for student affairs and enrollment management.
      "Georgia Southern has become recognized for offering all of the benefits of a major university with the feeling of a much smaller college. Central to our success is our focus on the student provided by our outstanding faculty and staff. It's not just a saying or a catch phrase for us. We live it and prospective students and their parents are noticing in record numbers."