THUNDER BAY — For the second year in a row, Maclean's magazine puts Lakehead University in the number eight spot among 18 primarily undergraduate universities in Canada.
The magazine notes that universities in the primarily undergraduate category tend to be smaller in size and have fewer graduate programs.
Out of five of these schools in Ontario, Lakehead is second only to Trent University which placed third in the country behind Mount Allison and the University of Northern British Columbia.
Among other northern Ontario schools, Sudbury's Laurentian University and North Bay's Nipissing University are ranked 12th and 16th in Canada respectively.
Lakehead on Wednesday issued a statement saying it was pleased with the recognition, noting that among undergraduate schools in the province it is ranked second for academic supports for students, including scholarships, bursaries and experiential learning programs.
"Our commitment to helping students overcome barriers to access...is reflected in our unique pathways to entry, student support programs, extensive opportunities for experiential learning and research, strong retention and graduation, and impressive employment outcomes," said LU President Dr. Moira McPherson.
Lakehead has the highest graduation rate among Ontario's primarily undergraduate schools.
However, it ranks only 17th out of 18 primarily undergraduate Canadian universities for student satisfaction. Laurentian is ranked 19th.
Lakehead ranks 12th for reputation, while Laurentian is 15th.
Among 18 Canadian universities with medical programs, Laurentian and Lakehead's Northern Ontario School of Medicine – the newest medicine program in the country – are ranked last.
Maclean's rankings are based on 14 performance indicators compiled from various data sources as well as surveys of students, university faculty and administrators, high school guidance counsellors, and business people.
