Golden Gate University Ranked #1 in US for Adult Learners for Second Consecutive Year

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 27, 2017 -- For the second year in a row, Golden Gate University (GGU) was named the number one university for adult students in the nation by Washington Monthly in its annual College Guide and Rankings, Best Four-Year Colleges for Adult Learners category.

In an article about the rankings, which were based on a sample size of 1,133 four-year colleges, Washington Monthly editor Paul Glastris wrote that these often regional or private colleges “that cater to adult students, the kind with jobs and families, aren’t given much attention or credit by the usual gatekeepers.”

According to Washington Monthly, roughly 40% of all college students are adults (25+) but no other ranking systems such as U.S. News & World Report or Forbes has looked at which universities serve adult students best.

What Washington Monthly measured, based on data from two federal government sources as well as the College Board, were seven characteristics of “openness and responsiveness to adult students and to how well those students fared once they left.” The measures are:

• ease of transfer and enrollment
• flexibility of programs
• services available for adult learners
• percent of adult students (age 25+) at the college
• mean earnings of adult students ten years after entering college
• loan repayment of adult students five years after entering repayment
• tuition and fees for in-district students

With a student body of approximately 4,000 whose average age is 34, GGU offers classes on weekends, evenings, and online, enabling students to enroll part-time while working or raising a family.

GGU takes great pride in its long tradition of expanding access to higher education, and to providing exceptional support and guidance to students. It also boasts a faculty that is composed primarily of working professionals who provide practical knowledge to their students, helping them forge professional connections with companies in the San Francisco Bay Area and GGU’s 68,000-person alumni network.

 “The blend of theory and practice, the unique balance between academicians and scholarship and professional experience, and GGU’s 116-year commitment to serving the needs of its adult students, is what drives this recognition,” said GGU President David J. Fike, who noted that the University’s proven experience in delivering superior services and support extends to GGU’s many graduate students in law, tax, accounting, and business. “We are very pleased that this Washington Monthly analysis recognizes the different educational demands of adults and working professionals as well as the vital part that these students have in our universities, our communities, and our rapidly changing economy.”

Washington Monthly’s top five four-year colleges for adult learners are:

1. Golden Gate University -- San Francisco (CA)
2. University of Utah (UT)
3. Concordia University -- St. Paul (MN)
4. Park University (MO)
5. George Mason University (VA)

A complete listing can be found on the Washington Monthly website at www.WashingtonMonthly.com/college_guide.

About Golden Gate University

GGU, a private nonprofit, has been helping adults achieve their professional goals by providing undergraduate and graduate education in accounting, law, taxation, business and related areas since 1901. Programs offer maximum flexibility with evening, weekend and online options available. GGU is accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) and the WASC Senior College and University Commission.
www.ggu.edu

UPCOMING EVENT:
September 25, 2017, 5:30 to 8 pm, GGU, 536 Mission Street, San Francisco
To mark the launch of its new Business Analytics degree programs, the GGU Ageno School of Business is hosting "Applying Analytics to Win in Sports and Business". This evening event will include panelists from the Golden State Warriors, Mixable Media, and more, as well as a hosted networking reception. Members of the media who are interested in attending should contact Paula Murphy at 415.999.7241 or [email protected].

CONTACT: Paula Murphy
415-999-7241
[email protected]