New US news rankings: liberal arts colleges

[Anonymous]

The three major service academies (Navy, Air Force, West Point) all moved into the top 10. Grinnell rose to 11, just behind Carleton at 9, further erasing any doubt that they’re true peers. The Ohio school that so many on DCUM drool over - Kenyon - dropped to 39, showing that it is not.

Washington & Lee dropped into the 20s, well below Richmond, while Oberlin sank into the 50s.

[Anonymous]

Wesleyan also rose a lot. Interesting as was one of top 5 back in the day.

[Anonymous]

The military academies were all in the top 10 last year.

[Anonymous]

Carleton is way too woke. My DW hated it

[Anonymous]

weird that the military academies rank so highly.

I mean, yeah, your college expenses are paid for, but you're also signing up for a military commitment after graduating. so is it really free?

us naval academy's stats are so far behind that of a true top ranked lac like swarthmore. 1200-1440 sat, 91% grad rate vs. 1440-1560 sat, 95% grad rate. I know you can't just blanket compare a top SLAC to a military academy, but what exactly makes usna better?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Carleton is way too woke. My DW hated it

I didn't get that feeling at all. Smart, Midwestern nice, definitely leaning left but didn't seem like kids spent all their time protesting or anything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:weird that the military academies rank so highly.

I mean, yeah, your college expenses are paid for, but you're also signing up for a military commitment after graduating. so is it really free?

us naval academy's stats are so far behind that of a true top ranked lac like swarthmore. 1200-1440 sat, 91% grad rate vs. 1440-1560 sat, 95% grad rate. I know you can't just blanket compare a top SLAC to a military academy, but what exactly makes usna better?

Yeah – those three are definitely good schools, but comparing them to standard LACs is kind of apples and oranges when it comes to both academics and finances.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:weird that the military academies rank so highly.

I mean, yeah, your college expenses are paid for, but you're also signing up for a military commitment after graduating. so is it really free?

us naval academy's stats are so far behind that of a true top ranked lac like swarthmore. 1200-1440 sat, 91% grad rate vs. 1440-1560 sat, 95% grad rate. I know you can't just blanket compare a top SLAC to a military academy, but what exactly makes usna better?

Yeah – those three are definitely good schools, but comparing them to standard LACs is kind of apples and oranges when it comes to both academics and finances.

Uh that’s a ridiculous statement. We are talking too liberal arts educations in America. Do you have any idea how demanding the academies are? Go tour!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:weird that the military academies rank so highly.

I mean, yeah, your college expenses are paid for, but you're also signing up for a military commitment after graduating. so is it really free?

us naval academy's stats are so far behind that of a true top ranked lac like swarthmore. 1200-1440 sat, 91% grad rate vs. 1440-1560 sat, 95% grad rate. I know you can't just blanket compare a top SLAC to a military academy, but what exactly makes usna better?

Yeah – those three are definitely good schools, but comparing them to standard LACs is kind of apples and oranges when it comes to both academics and finances.

not to mention many of the top slacs offer rotc, which pays for tuition/supplies. I know the Claremont Colleges have one on campus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Carleton is way too woke. My DW hated it

I didn't get that feeling at all. Smart, Midwestern nice, definitely leaning left but didn't seem like kids spent all their time protesting or anything.

I wouldn’t say woke, but maybe a bit weird. Definitely not for everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:weird that the military academies rank so highly.

I mean, yeah, your college expenses are paid for, but you're also signing up for a military commitment after graduating. so is it really free?

us naval academy's stats are so far behind that of a true top ranked lac like swarthmore. 1200-1440 sat, 91% grad rate vs. 1440-1560 sat, 95% grad rate. I know you can't just blanket compare a top SLAC to a military academy, but what exactly makes usna better?

Yeah – those three are definitely good schools, but comparing them to standard LACs is kind of apples and oranges when it comes to both academics and finances.

+1

The service academies don't belong on a list of LACs, period. Definitely good, as PP notes, yet also, compared to any other schools, places with vastly different student experience, outcome at the end of the education, finances, etc. Kind of nuts that they're ranked against LACs at all. Further evidence that maybe all the ranking and rating and comparisons done by various magazines and sites etc. can have strange criteria and therefore aren't especially useful. I know--that's blasphemy on this site!

[Anonymous]

I would never survive at one of the academies. I think they are really impressive and am amazed by the kids who go there. Does seem a bit apples and oranges- targeting different kinds of kids

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:weird that the military academies rank so highly.

I mean, yeah, your college expenses are paid for, but you're also signing up for a military commitment after graduating. so is it really free?

us naval academy's stats are so far behind that of a true top ranked lac like swarthmore. 1200-1440 sat, 91% grad rate vs. 1440-1560 sat, 95% grad rate. I know you can't just blanket compare a top SLAC to a military academy, but what exactly makes usna better?

Yeah – those three are definitely good schools, but comparing them to standard LACs is kind of apples and oranges when it comes to both academics and finances.

Uh that’s a ridiculous statement. We are talking too liberal arts educations in America. Do you have any idea how demanding the academies are? Go tour!

You missed that PP's point. No one said the service academies are not "demanding" academically and no one said the academies are inferior .The PP means that the service academies are simply not comparable any LACs (or really, any other form of college or university). If you don't know the reasons why, well, you might know the academies but you perhaps aren't as familiar with day to day life and academics at LACs.

[Anonymous]

US News is kind of a joke these days. It’s no longer a respected publication and just makes money off compiling various lists. I take their rankings with a grain of salt.

[Anonymous]

I absolutely agree service academies should be top 10 - every graduate I've met of one has been hard working and at least somewhat impressive., so I'm sure most Americans also consider it prestigious.. Also glad Harvey Mudd has gone up - they were pretty low last year. Surprised Colorado College didn't drop more - they said a couple of months ago they weren't going to rankings anymore. Reed was heavily penalized when it went that way. And Oberlin has dropped so far...I don't know how they rectify the situation, it seems like it just keeps getting worse.