The annual U.S. News and World report of the nation's best colleges ranked Mines as #82. According to The Denver Channel, the ranking by U.S. News and World focuses on academic excellence and emphasizes student outcomes, including graduation and retention rates. The report also aims to help students compare "the academic quality of more than 1,800 U.S.-based schools." Two other Colorado schools also made the list, University of Denver at #86, and CU Boulder at #92. Photo Credit: Deirdre Keating