Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:1. JMU isn't ranked at all on the USNWR list of National Universities (or SLACs). VT is in the 60s last I saw.
2. Ignoring point #1, you know it's easier to "take a bigger jump in the rankings" when you have much more room to jump, right? Saying that JMU is "up and coming" or whatever says nothing to take away from VT. Tech is ranked high and harder to get into for anyone in the DCUM range.
3. Squabble on.
OK I'll bite into this discussion because I actually have kids at both. Warning, I worked for USN&WR back in the 1980s as a data analyst so this perspective might be a little boring
1. Colleges and Universities are grouped in the USN Rankings based on number of Doctoral degrees granted (or more accurately, Carnegie Basic Classification). For example - GMU, VT, VCU and ODU all share similar Basic Classification for larger number of Doctoral Degrees and are ranked together as "National U"s...on the other hand JMU, Villanova, Providence College, Mary Washington, etc. all share similar Basic Classification for smaller number of Doctoral Degrees and are ranked together as "Regional U"s. In its (admittedly tougher) category, Virginia Tech is in the 70's. In its (admittedly easier) category, JMU ranks #5.
2. In point of fact, JMU and VT have both dipped in their respective rankings. Back in the 1980s when Wake Forest U (was always #1), Furman (often switched with JMU for #3) and the University of Richmond (always #2) were ranked as Southern "Regional U"s by US News, JMU was a consistent #3 or 4. VT on the other hand used to rank favorably with schools like UMCP in the "National U"s, but no longer.
3. I love squabbling but they are both fine schools. Over the years the schools have traded off in terms of SAT average of entering class. Currently VT's is about 50 points higher because James Madison has expanded their Entering Class Size from something like 1,000-1,500 in the 1980s to 4,000-4,300 today (and its acceptance rate is much higher than in the 1980s).
Another point of caution for you VT/JMU squabblers. I was looking at JMU's Institutional Research site. They awarded so many doctorates over the past few years that they will have their basic classification changed (just as UR, WFU and others have a decade ago). However, when it changes, it is likely to be grouped by USN in the "National Liberal Arts" Category (like UR) rather than "National U"s. So this debate will likely not be settled...
For the record, my opinion is that VT is better for STEM, JMU for Business and LA for what it is worth.
Hope this helps.