There's nothing like Maclean's annual ranking of Canadian universities to put institutions of higher learning on high alert.

York did well in this year's rankings especially in areas the University considered important to student learning. The University increased its standing in six categories in 1998 with gains in teaching and research. Overall, out of 12 universities in the "comprehensive" category, York placed fifth. Comprehensive universities are defined as those with a significant amount of research activity and a wide range of programs-including professional degrees-at the graduate and undergraduate levels.

York was first in percentage of full-time faculty with PhDs (97.5%), first in the percentage of first-year classes taught by tenured or tenure-track professors in the "comprehensive" category, and first in student services as a percentage of budget.

York also placed first in library acquisitions, second in medical and science grants, and third in faculty awards which charts the number of full-time professors (per 1,000) who have won national awards.

York was fourth in the proportion of full-time undergraduates who complete their degree (80.3%), and ranked sixth in terms of the average entering grade (80.8%) of freshmen entering from high school or CEGEP.