UCLA ranked No. 4 school in the U.S.

UCLA was ranked the No. 4 university in the nation by the Washington Monthly College Guide in its second annual college rankings.

The magazine used three central criteria in ranking colleges and universities: universities should be engines of social mobility, produce the academic minds and scientific research that advance knowledge and drive economic growth, and inculcate and encourage an ethic of service.

More than half of UCLA's students participate in community service. The campus has the highest graduation rates in the University of California system and among the highest in the country.

In addition to UCLA, three other UC campuses were ranked in the top 10: UC Berkeley, UC San Diego and UC Davis.

In announcing its rankings, the Washington Monthly said it hopes public and elected officials will focus on high-ranking schools when making important funding decisions for colleges and universities. The magazine also said it hopes the rankings will inspire universities to focus more on enrolling low-income students, encouraging participation in community service and making sure students graduate.

To see the complete Wash- ington Monthly rankings, go to: www.washingtonmonthly.com/ f e a t u r e s / 2 0 0 6 / 0 6 0 9 . collegechart.html.