GW jumped into the top 15 percent of colleges in Forbes magazine’s 2012 rankings released this week.

The University soared to No. 88 out of 650 colleges considered by the magazine, after landing at No. 151 last year.

Among private colleges, GW shot up 56 slots to reach No. 76 this year – a key indicator of the University’s growing academic reputation.

Since the list was created five years ago, GW has climbed gradually, clinching a spot in the top 25 percent for the first time last year.  The only year the University has not seen its rank improve was in 2009, when it dropped from No. 350 to No. 429.

The rankings weighed colleges based on five factors: student satisfaction, post-graduate success, student debt, four-year graduation rate and academic success indicated by honors like Ph.D candidacies and Fulbright awards.

Student satisfaction makes up 27.5 percent of a school’s overall score – based on Rate My Professor evaluations and freshman retention rates – differing it from the U.S. News & World Report rankings, which base scores on the colleges’ selectivity and repute. GW was rated No. 50 by the U.S. News this year, its first time in the top since 1998.

Forbes collaborated with The Center for College Affordability and Productivity, a D.C.-based research center, to come up with the methodology of the ranking.

Princeton University beat out Williams College – which had led the pack for two year in the row – for the top spot. Princeton took first overall, in private colleges and in research universities.