2016 Best Colleges Rankings Coming Sept. 9

Prospective students and parents looking for the school that best fits their needs can check out the 2016 edition of the U.S. News Best Colleges rankings starting Wednesday, Sept. 9. New rankings for National Universities, National Liberal Arts Colleges, Regional Universities and Regional Colleges will be available on usnews.com.

In addition to the main rankings, U.S. News for the first time will publish rankings of the Most Innovative Schools in terms of technology, facilities, academics and curriculum.

Along with the rankings, the U.S. News site offers extensive statistical profiles for each school, a comprehensive college search and detailed explanations of the ranking methodologies. Users looking for additional data, enhanced search abilities and other exclusive interactive tools can sign up for the U.S. News College Compass.

U.S. News' exclusive rankings will also be published in our " Best Colleges 2016" guidebook, which will start shipping in mid-September and go on sale on newsstands on Sept. 29.

The rankings available on usnews.com on Sept. 9 will include which schools are rated most highly by high school counselors from across the U.S. and which schools have the greatest commitment to undergraduate teaching. We also will have our annual ranking of historically black colleges and universities, as well as rankings of undergraduate business programs and undergraduate engineering programs.

In addition, we have lists, tables and articles to help you navigate the college application process. Some of these include:

-- A-plus Schools for B Students, a list of options for students who want to go to a good college but who don't have straight-A grades.

-- Paying for College guide, which provides vital information on financial aid and managing college costs.

-- Best Value Schools, a ranking that shows the colleges that offer the best value for students getting need-based financial aid.

You'll also be able to see lists of:

-- Top public schools

-- Schools whose students graduate with the most or least debt (College Compass subscription required)

-- Campus economic diversity

-- Campus ethnic diversity

-- Academic programs to look for, such as study abroad, service learning and senior capstone

-- Schools that award the most merit aid

-- Schools whose freshmen are most (and least) likely to return

-- Highest four-year graduation rates

-- Highest proportion of classes with fewer than 20 students (College Compass subscription required)

-- Most international students

School officials can access more Best Colleges rankings and data -- including historical information about their own school and peer institutions -- via U.S. News Academic Insights. If you're a college or graduate school representative, you can learn more about the Academic Insights tool online or request a demo.