WASHINGTON (AP) - George Washington University says it inadvertently overstated the percentage of incoming freshmen who graduated in the top 10 percent of their high school class.

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President Steven Knapp told the university community that GW had reported that 78 percent of the class of 2015 had graduated in their high school's top 10 percent.

The correct percentage was 58.

Knapp attributed the mistake to a flaw in the school's reporting methods.

He said the university regretted the error and was taking steps to prevent it from happening again.

The academic credentials of incoming classes are one of the variables used by U.S. News & World Report and other publications to rank universities.

The problem was discovered after an administrative reorganization.

The Washington Post reported on Knapp's statement in Friday editions.