--- title: "Dordt has been Ranked #1 for Six Years in a Row" date: 2021-09-21T00:00:00-05:00 author: Jordan Eshelman canonical_url: "https://www.dordt.edu/news/dordt-has-been-ranked-number-one-for-six-years-in-a-row" section: News --- [ View Dordt News](https://www.dordt.edu/news) [Academics](https://www.dordt.edu/news?category=academics) [Notable](https://www.dordt.edu/news?category=notable) Sep 21, 2021 # Dordt has been Ranked #1 for Six Years in a Row For six years in a row, Dordt has been ranked #1 in student engagement ![]()For the sixth year in a row, Dordt University has been ranked number one in the nation for student engagement, according to *The Wall Street Journal* and *Times Higher Education’s* [College Rankings 2022](https://www.timeshighereducation.com/rankings/united-states/2022?mc_cid=ac8f061092&mc_eid=b9a9f1ec5c#!/page/0/length/25/sort_by/rank/sort_order/asc/cols/stats). “As a prospective student is making a decision about which college to attend, there are many voices whispering to them regarding quality factors of various schools,” says Dr. Erik Hoekstra, president at Dordt. “Frankly, it can be overwhelming. To have a globally recognized and trusted entity like *The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education* speak so positively about Dordt University for six years in a row is certainly encouraging for us.” According to *The Wall Street Journal* and *Times Higher Education* rankings, “decades of research has found that the best way to truly understand teaching quality at an institution—how well it manages to inform, inspire, and challenge students—is through capturing what is known as 'student engagement.'” The engagement category is 20% of the overall College Rankings 2022. To determine if the college effectively engages with its students, the category takes into account the number of accredited programs offered at Dordt, the level of student engagement, the opportunities for professors and students to interact, and whether students would recommend Dordt to a friend. “I’d like to highlight the commitment, care, and expertise of our faculty and staff who—along with our students—create the outstanding Christ-centered campus learning environment at Dordt which has been highlighted here,” says Hoekstra. “And to know that this type of engagement is really what drives life-long outcomes for the value of a college education is truly something for which we give thanks.” Within the [College Rankings 2022](https://www.timeshighereducation.com/rankings/united-states/2022?mc_cid=ac8f061092&mc_eid=b9a9f1ec5c#!/page/0/length/25/sort_by/rank/sort_order/asc/cols/stats), the engagement category is one of four pillars that emphasize key areas in teaching excellence: resources, environment, outcomes, and engagement. The rankings examined data from a variety of sources, including the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the U.S. government, the College Scorecard, the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), *THE* ranking surveys, and the Elsevier bibliometric dataset. This year’s rankings examined 796 institutions nationally. As an institution of higher education committed to the Reformed Christian perspective, Dordt University equips students, faculty, alumni, and the broader community to work toward Christ-centered renewal in all aspects of contemporary life. Located in Sioux Center, Iowa, Dordt is a comprehensive university named to the best college lists by *U.S. News and World Report*, Forbes.com, *Washington Monthly*, and *Princeton Review*. --- [Previous Article ![Brick and concrete sign of "Dordt University" is surrounded by prairie grass](https://d3evso2dxyohou.cloudfront.net/generalUploads/front-entrance.jpg?mode=crop&pos=center-center&w=56&h=33&f=webp&c=460ee147&v=05c18acb8bf730fe9d56406fcd2b3f749f7c7b670e0e649e654cbe0f65b606bb) Music Sep 22, 2021 ## Professional Chamber Choir to Perform at Dordt A professional chamber choir will be performing at Dordt in th B.J. Haan October 2 Read More ](https://www.dordt.edu/news/professional-chamber-choir-to-perform-at-dordt) [Next Article ![Brick and concrete sign of "Dordt University" is surrounded by prairie grass](https://d3evso2dxyohou.cloudfront.net/generalUploads/front-entrance.jpg?mode=crop&pos=center-center&w=56&h=33&f=webp&c=460ee147&v=05c18acb8bf730fe9d56406fcd2b3f749f7c7b670e0e649e654cbe0f65b606bb) Academics Sep 19, 2021 ## Dordt Ranked Fifth Best Regional Midwest College by U.S. News and World Report Dordt University is ranked the fifth best regional midwest college Read More ](https://www.dordt.edu/news/dordt-ranked-fifth-best-regional-midwest-college-by-u-s-news-and-world-report) [ ![]() ## View All Dordt News View News ](https://www.dordt.edu/news) Aug 19 General #### [International Student Orientation ](https://www.dordt.edu/events/international-student-orientation-2026-08-19) Aug 20 General #### [International Student Orientation ](https://www.dordt.edu/events/international-student-orientation-2026-08-20) Aug 20 Athletics Men's Soccer #### [8/20 8:00 PM Dordt University Men's Soccer at Carroll - Nelson Stadium ](https://www.dordt.edu/events/8-22-100-pm-dordt-university-mens-soccer-at-carroll) ![A picture of campus behind yellow prairie flowers](https://d3evso2dxyohou.cloudfront.net/generalUploads/2021-22/Buildings-and-Campus/2021-09-23_001574-1.jpg?mode=crop&pos=center-center&w=50&h=50&f=webp&c=3d670641&v=d2bdb7cbdc83e5be46d3a10afe8a1214a0e770536697eb0ddbe29e017d2e9577) <![CDATA[YII-BLOCK-BODY-END]]>