Distinguishing Hallmarks of Texas A&M University

• One of only a few universities in the country to be designated a Land Grant, Sea Grant, & Space Grant University.
• First public university in Texas - established in 1871.
• A Flagship Texas University, one of only two flagship universities in Texas.
• Sixth largest university in the United States with an enrollment of >49,000 students in 2010.
• A member of the Association of American Universities since 2001. The AAU is comprised of 62 of the leading public and private universities in the United States and Canada. Membership is by invitation and is based upon high quality of academic research, graduate, and professional education programs.
• Ranked 18th nationally and 13th among public institutions in number of doctoral degrees awarded in 2009 (according to The Center for Measuring University Performance, The Top American Research Universities 2010 Annual Report).
• Wall Street Journal survey in 2011 ranked Texas A&M 2nd nationally for graduates "best prepared and most able to succeed."
• U.S. News & World Report designated Texas A&M a Tier 1 research institution and ranked it among the Top 20 Research Institutions in the United States.
• U.S. News & World Report's "Great Schools, Great Prices," ranked Texas A&M 2nd among public institutions; Texas A&M is the only Texas public institution in the top tier rankings.
• The Princeton Review ranked Texas A&M University among the Top 10 Public "Best Value" Colleges; Texas A&M is the only Texas public institution in the top tier ratings.
• Smart Money magazine rated Texas A&M as the top university in the nation for "payback ratio."
• Forbes magazine rated Texas A&M among the Top 10 public institutions based on earnings of alumni with 10-20 years of work experience.
• Federal and state financial aid programs are leveraged to provide $522 million to 80% of our students.
• Every state tax dollar invested in Texas A&M returns $18 to the Texas economy.
• Recently rated by Sports Illustrated as the nation's best game day: '...few venues are more hostile to opponents than the maroon bowl of Kyle Field, where the eardrums of visiting players are under constant assault from the Aggies' 12th Man - the nation's best-drilled student body.'
• According to the Washington Monthly ranking of best colleges, Texas A&M ranks best in Texas and best in the Big 12.
• According to TheBestColleges.org , Texas A&M ranks 6th nationally for public universities and 1st for the state of Texas.
• Forbes ranked College Station first in Texas and sixth nationally in its Best Small Places for Business and Careers. No other Texas city ranks in the top 30.
• Texas A&M University placed second nationally in Washington Monthly's new rankings, which take into major consideration factors such as research and service.
• College Station has been named America's top college town for 2012 by Livability.com, a national website that highlights the best places to live and visit.