Saint Vincent College’s admission website was ranked #1 in the country today by MyCollegeOptions.org in its 11th annual Enrollment Power Index, an analysis of admission websites of all four-year colleges and universities.

MyCollegeOptions.org, the nation’s largest online college planning program, created by the National Research Center for College and University Admission, a non-profit education research organization. Each summer, the MCO team of college admission and internet experts conducts a research-based analysis that measures how well college and university websites provide information to prospective students to assist them through the application process.

The study grades over 3,000 institutions on a 100 point scale, including functionality, design and technology components. The criteria for the study are reviewed and updated annually by internal experts as well as current high school students. Each institution was reviewed by over 1,000 college-bound high school students.

Statistical tests are used to determine the specific criteria to be used and their relative importance to students. This year’s study examined 34 criteria in four main categories: admission page design and navigation; website interaction and online admission tools; ability to find key admission information; and ability to contact the admission office.

According to MCO, this year’s research revealed three items that are rising in importance to students: the presence of a student blog; the ability to contact admission office through Facebook, My Space or Twitter; and the ability to view virtual campus tours or YouTube video on the institution.

“This year’s EPI results demonstrate that admission offices should focus on communicating with potential students through technologies that the students use on a daily basis. Higher ranked websites in this report were much more likely to have integrated new, popular technologies,” said Ryan Munce, vice president of MyCollegeOptions.

Other colleges and universities ranked in the top ten included Baldwin-Wallace College, Northwestern College, Saint Joseph’s College, John Carroll University, Allegheny College, Smith College, Saint Martin’s University, AIB College of Business and Pittsburgh Technical Institute.

For 38 years, NRCCUA has conducted the largest nationwide survey of high school students, which serves as a communications link between college-bound high school students and public and private colleges and universities.

Saint Vincent College’s admission web page is located at www.stvincent.edu/admission

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