Lakeland Among U.S. News & World Report’s 2022 list of Best Colleges
For the third straight year, Lakeland University is among the top schools in Wisconsin and the Midwest in advancing social mobility for its students, according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2022 list of Best Colleges.
The rankings note, “Economically disadvantaged students are less likely than others to finish college, even when controlling for other characteristics. But some colleges are more successful than others at advancing social mobility by enrolling and graduating large proportions of disadvantaged students awarded with Pell Grants. The vast majority of these federal grants are awarded to students whose adjusted gross family incomes are under $50,000.”
Lakeland is one of just four Wisconsin schools ranked in social mobility.
The ranking is a feather in the cap of Lakeland’s award-winning Cooperative Education program. The program allows undergraduate students to earn academic credit for professional work experience in full- and part-time positions with Co-Op partner companies. At Lakeland, students can earn up to 30 credits for their work experiences, which is the equivalent of a full year. Most schools only offer students up to six academic credits for work experience. For many students, these jobs allow them to earn wages that can be used to pay their tuition, which helps position them for financial independence after graduation.
