LSU again landed in the top tier of the “Best National Universities” list in U.S. News & World Report’s 2010 edition of “America’s Best Colleges,” which was released Thursday. The University broke into the coveted top tier for the first time last year and is now in a six-way tie for last place in the top tier — the No. 128 spot with the Universities of Arkansas and Kentucky, Colorado State University, Duquesne University and Missouri University of Science & Technology. Harvard University and Princeton University are tied for No. 1. U.S. News & World Report releases the Best Colleges list every year, ranking universities based on admissions standards, facilities, peer surveys and other criteria. Last fall, Chancellor Michael Martin hailed the University’s Flagship Agenda — a campaign to make LSU more nationally prominent — as the reason for the jump into the top tier.He echoed the same sentiment Thursday. “The Flagship Agenda really was the culmination of things that were already happening,” Martin said. “We have great a faculty and great students.” Martin said it is important to remember this ranking doesn’t reflect the near $20 million in budget cuts the University is having to endure this year. He said the cuts could affect the University’s ranking next year. And while LSU is the only public university in Louisiana ranked in the top tier on the 2010 list, several of its peer institutions — universities that share the same role, scope and mission — are ranked higher. The University of Florida tied for the No. 47 spot this year, while Auburn University and the University of Alabama tied for the No. 88 and No. 96 spots, respectively. Ohio State University tied for the No. 53 spot, the University of North Carolina tied for No. 28, and West Virginia University was ranked as a third-tier institution. Martin said LSU’s rating helps in continuing to break a stereotype some hold about southern public universities being subpar, athletics-focused schools. “People assume that’s all we’re good at,” Martin said. “[But] our academics are on par with our athletics.” Martin said the U.S. News & World Report’s list is the most popular and referenced ranking out there, meaning the University’s ranking is great for its image and recruiting.”I don’t know any one ranking that characterizes what we really are, but it’s a good image perception to have,” Martin said. —-Contact Kyle Bove at [email protected]