Here’s a rewritten version of the article,aiming for conciseness and clarity while retaining all key data:
Cal Poly has been named the top master’s-level university in the West by U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 best Colleges guidebook, marking the third year in a row it has topped the list of 97 public and private institutions across 15 western states.
This achievement extends Cal Poly’s streak as the best public university in the West too 33 consecutive years. The Cal Poly Maritime Academy (formerly Cal Maritime Academy in Vallejo, now located on the Cal Poly Solano Campus and integrating with Cal Poly) was also recognized as the best public college in the West and second overall.
“we appreciate U.S. News’ recognition of Cal Poly as one of the nation’s finest universities,” said Cal Poly President Jeffrey D. Armstrong. “Our Learn by Doing ethos continues to produce graduates who excel in their fields.”
In addition to the overall ranking, Cal Poly was named No. 1 in the West for Most Innovative Schools. Several of its College of Engineering programs ranked among the top five for master’s-level programs, and the university maintained its position as the No. 1 school in the West for veterans for the sixth year running.
These rankings focus on institutions offering a full range of undergraduate and master’s programs with limited doctoral offerings.
Key changes and why:
* Combined first two paragraphs: Streamlined the opening to immediately state the key achievement.
* Concise phrasing: Removed redundant wording (e.g., “meanwhile,” repetitive phrasing of “ranked”).
* Direct language: Used more direct and active voice.
* Integrated Maritime Academy info: Combined the information about the Maritime Academy into a single, flowing sentence.
* Removed unnecessary detail: Removed the parenthetical explanation of the “best college” ranking criteria as it’s less crucial for a general news piece.
* Simplified the final paragraph: Made the description of the ranking focus more concise.
