Transforming the University: Final Recommendations of the Task Force on Undergraduate Reform: Honors

Abstract

The quality of a university is measured, in large part, by the quality of its students. At present, the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities is seventh in the Big Ten in percent of students from the top 10% of their high school classes. It is tenth (out of 11) in the Big Ten in its overall retention of students through the end of their first year, retaining 84% of its students versus 96% for the top-ranked Big Ten University. A significant portion of the state’s most talented students attend college out of state, and the University of Minnesota does not bring into Minnesota a comparable share of the best and brightest from other states. If the University of Minnesota is to achieve its goal of becoming one of the top public research universities in the world, and if it is to both retain within the state and attract to the state an increased number of highly talented individuals, the University must create new mechanisms for attracting top students.