GW shot up to No. 151 in Forbes magazine’s annual America’s Top Colleges rankings, clinching a spot in the top 25 percent of the list the University has gradually climbed up since it was first created four years ago.

Last year, Forbes placed the University in the top half of the “best colleges” rankings at No. 291 out of 610 public and private institutions. Forbes began ranking colleges across the country in 2008, when GW landed at No. 350 before sinking to No. 429 in 2009.

This year’s list ranked a total of 650 schools.

The magazine compiles its yearly rankings with the Center for College Affordability and Productivity, a D.C.-based think tank to generate a list that reflects “the things that matter the most to students,” according to Forbes, factoring in professor quality, career prospects, graduation rates and student debt levels.

Williams College, a small, liberal arts school based in western Massachusetts, took the cake as the No. 1 college for the second year in a row.

Forbes also ranked GW No. 132 among private colleges this year.