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When does a three-point improvement make a difference? It happens when a university moves up three notches in a national list of 1,000 schools examined by the Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education College Rankings, which describes itself as a student-focused evaluation of colleges and universities.

In 2018, �԰����� has reached the No. 79 spot, up three slots from the 2017 ranking of No. 82. The rankings factor in 15 performance indicators that seem to answer the questions of greatest importance to students and their families, such as graduation rates, job placement, engagement in and out of the classroom, and campus diversity. The partnership says salaries for �԰����� alumni 10 years after graduation are $54,000.

In its analysis of �԰�����, the Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education partnership noted that the school “is small enough to offer close connections between students and teachers and intimate class sizes, but large enough to provide a broad spectrum of research and learning opportunities.”

Among the almost 50 majors spotlighted by the partnership are molecular biology, ancient Mediterranean studies, and an interdisciplinary environmental studies program that covers sciences, social sciences, and humanities and entails internships with the San Antonio Zoo, the city Parks and Recreation Department, and other employers.

The partnership also highlights �԰�����’s focus on sustainability, including the student beekeepers, an Earth Week eco-fiesta, and an emphasis on leading eco-friendly lives. The school’s green grounds, oak trees, and red brick buildings make it “an idyllic place to study.”

Topping the 2018 list is Harvard University. In a category for master’s degree-granting schools ranked by U.S. News & World Report, �԰����� has been No. 1 in the western part of the United States for 26 years.