The Kelley School of Business returned to the top 10 in the magazine's rankings of undergraduate programs, and U.S. News particularly recognized the Kelley School's program for students who plan to start their own companies.

U.S. News ranked the Kelley School as the 10th best in the nation among undergraduate business programs (a year ago it was 12th). It continues to be second only to the University of Michigan in the Big Ten and sixth nationally among public universities.

"We are certainly pleased by the improvement in our U.S. News ranking. There are over 3,000 business schools in the U.S. and being ranked among the top 10 clearly places us among the nation's elite programs," said Dan Smith, dean of the Kelley School.

"The U.S. News ranking of business schools is based on our overall reputation. It reflects the extraordinary quality of our faculty, ranked among the top 10 in the world in terms of research impact, and our commitment to constant innovation. We do not focus on rankings, but rather, on providing a truly world class student experience," Smith added. "The new living and learning center, our semester-long integrated core experience, unmatched career preparation, global immersion programs and a multitude of experiential learning opportunities are but a few of the unique experiences that set Kelley apart. If we continue to be nimble and fast-moving in our innovations, rankings will take care of themselves."

The magazine also praised the school's entrepreneurship program led by Donald F. Kuratko, the Jack M. Gill Chair of Entrepreneurship and executive director of its Johnson Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation. The school's undergraduate offerings in entrepreneurship moved up to third overall by U.S. News, and it continues to be first among public universities.

"I am extremely proud to see Kelley's entrepreneurship program ranked No. 3 in the world and sustaining the No. 1 public university ranking. This is a direct result of our incredible entrepreneurship faculty and innovative students," Kuratko said. "The combination of our Hoosier Hatchery, an incubator for student businesses; the highly acclaimed Spine Sweat Experience senior capstone course, and our partnership in Silicon Valley with the largest incubator in the world, positions the Kelley School as one of the most powerful entrepreneurship programs in the world."

Overall, U.S. News ranked IU Bloomington 32nd among public national research universities, slightly down from 29th a year ago.

"It is gratifying that Indiana University Bloomington is once again recognized for its student learning communities and for its emphasis on writing in the disciplines, initiatives that have been shown to lead to higher levels of student success," said Provost and IU Executive Vice President Karen Hanson. "We are also proud of the high rankings for the Kelley School of Business and its entrepreneurship program. The U.S. News rankings, while always closely watched, provide only a small glimpse of the many excellent learning opportunities available to students at IU Bloomington."

For the first time, U.S. News separated information it received from high school guidance counselors and ranked their top choices. IUPUI was tied for 47th among all national universities.

"High school counselors are vital guides for students in choice of college," said Charles R. Bantz, IUPUI chancellor and IU executive vice president. "IUPUI's high ranking from counselors underscores an emerging trend. More and more students are making IUPUI their first choice."

Several programs at IUPUI and IU Bloomington were recognized for "enriching the experience" for students. U.S. News recognized both campuses for their success in promoting learning communities that build connections among fellow students and between students and professors.

IU Bloomington also was cited for programs that make writing a priority at all levels of instruction and across the curriculum. IUPUI was recognized for its first-year efforts that help students feel more connected and for its service learning programs.

Highlights of the 2011 America's Best Colleges rankings will be published in the September issue of U.S. News and World Report, on newsstands Tuesday, Aug. 31, and are available at http://www.usnews.com/.