Beloit College joined a distinctive category for the first time in the U.S. News & World Report’s 2021 Best Colleges rankings, coming in at No. 5 on the list of Most Innovative Liberal Arts Schools. The rankings were released today.

This is the first year Beloit College has received the distinction since the category launched six years ago. Beloit College is the only liberal arts college in the Midwest in the top five.

The Most Innovative Schools list highlights institutions that are taking bold steps to change their curriculum, campus life, facilities, and technology. Based strictly on peer review and nomination, it enables top college officials to select schools they believe the public should “watch” because of their cutting-edge approaches to education.

“This honor recognizes the ability of our faculty and staff to be creative in the face of a global pandemic, as we’ve considered ongoing economic, cultural, and technological changes,” said Beloit College President Scott Bierman. “It was truly THE moment to launch the Beloit Action Plan, which strengthens college to career connections, promises affordable tuition and offers additional semesters as we recognize the pandemic’s impact on the collegiate experience.”

The College gained national attention for its ground-breaking plan in response to COVID-19. The Beloit Action Plan, introduced in April, includes:

• Mods, a modular course structure which eliminates the pressure of managing 4 courses at time by splitting up the semester into two Mods. Mods are designed to minimize disruption should a change between in-person and remote learning occur mid-semester.
• Midwest Flagship Match, which allows new students from six Midwestern states to enroll at Beloit without paying more than it would cost to attend their flagship state school. The states are Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.
• Advanced Mentoring Program, which provides a faculty advisor to students within 72 hours of the time they deposit and a cohort-based mentoring program that continues through the first two years.
• Career Channels, which help students imagine what they’re looking for in their careers at the same time they’re taking classes.
• Offering ninth and tenth semesters free to students who enroll full-time during the 2020-21 school year.

Beloit College excelled in other categories as part of the U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges list. The College is ranked in the Top 80 among National Liberal Arts Colleges, in the Top 50 for Best Value Schools, and in the Top 25 for Best First-Year Experience.

Beloit College’s full rankings, awarded in the National Liberal Arts Colleges category, are:

• No. 5 for Most Innovative Schools
• No. 19 Most International Students
• No. 24 for First-Year Experiences
• No. 48 for Best Value Schools
• No. 57 for Best Undergraduate Teaching
• No. 63 for Social Mobility
• No. 80 for National Liberal Arts Colleges

U.S. News & World Report is widely recognized for its collegiate rankings published annually on the internet and in print. Beloit College’s full profile can be found here.