Founded in 1842 by the Order of Saint Augustine, the university traces its roots to old Saint Augustine's Church, Philadelphia, which the Augustinian friars founded in 1796, and to its parish school, Saint Augustine's Academy, which was established in 1811. U.S. News & World Report ranks Villanova as tied for the 46th best National University in the U.S. for 2018. The university is a member of the Augustinian Secondary Education Association.