Knox is one of the top 25 colleges in the nation for outstanding undergraduate teaching, according to the latest U.S. News & World Report "Best Colleges" rankings.

In one of the national rankings published this week, U.S. News asked educational leaders to identify "schools where the faculty has an unusually strong commitment to undergraduate teaching." Other colleges cited along with Knox in the top 25 for outstanding teaching include Carleton, Williams, Grinnell, and Amherst.

"We are especially delighted that Knox has been recognized as a place of outstanding undergraduate teaching. Students choose a college because they are eager to learn from and work with dedicated teachers," said Laura Behling, dean of Knox College.

"At Knox, our faculty prioritize their students' learning, through challenging and thoughtful in- and out-of-classroom work that engages students across disciplines," Behling said.

In other listings, U.S. News ranks Knox 77th among the top 232 liberal arts colleges, and the magazine also identifies Knox as a "Great School at Great Price."

Knox is also highly ranked by U.S. News for ethnic diversity, international diversity, and as a college whose admission standards emphasize "spirit and hard work," along with academic achievement.

"At Knox, cultural diversity isn't just about numbers or percentages," said Paul Steenis, dean of admission.

"It's all about learning and growing alongside others who will challenge us, inform us, and encourage us to consider other perspectives and points of view," Steenis said. "We believe that you learn the most from the people least like you—and we're preparing our students to be active, engaged participants in shaping world in which they live."

Knox has received strong reviews from two other major college rankings, published by Washington Monthly and Forbes magazines. Those rankings looked at how colleges promote community and national service, and how they help graduates succeed in their careers.

Washington Monthly ranked Knox 13th in the nation among the top 100 liberal arts colleges that are "authentically committed to service and social mobility."

Forbes gives Knox high marks in its 2016 "Grateful Grads Index," which ranked colleges for having "successful graduates, (who) show their appreciation by giving back (to their college) in the form of donations."