US News best colleges 2025

[Anonymous]

These threads are so amusing. Out come all the parents who haven’t attended college in 25 years but somehow have detailed, current knowledge of the student bodies, faculty quality, facilities, and academic reputations of every university in the country, and they use that knowledge to authoritatively sort schools in tiny increments.

Get over yourselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UC Merced up to #58. Will be top 50 by next year.

93% acceptance rate, 9% yield!!!

Get in while you can!

It's time to rank privates and publics separately.

They do have a separate ranking for publics:

https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities/top-public

Private only

1 Princeton
2 MIT
3 Havard
4 Standford
5 Yale
6 Caltech,Duke,JHU,Northwestern
7 Upenn
8 Cornell,Uchicago
9 Brown,Columbia,
10 Dartmouth
11 Rice,NortreDame, Vanderbilt
12 CMU,WashU
13 Emory, GEORGETOWN
14 USC
15 NYU
16 Boston College,Tufts
17 Boston University
18 University of Rochester
19 Lehigh,WakeForest
20 Case Western

This is stupid

Actually, this is interesting to me. We aren't interested in public schools, so it is nice to look at a list with solely private schools. Some people like to see lists with only public schools.

+1

Even with public universities, some people don't care if they're not from their own state.
I don't rely solely on this ranking, though it's more reasonable than grouping public and private universities together.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:William and Mary behing Virginia Tech.

This is what high school counselors have been saying for years.

No they haven't.

Not shocking VT is ranked higher when they play affirmative action with first gens

What school doesn't? At least they're transparent about it.
DP

Not on the level VA tech does. They want 40% of the student body to be FGLI. Seems middle class gets no financial aid as a result of that. Makes US news happy, not so much the average Virginian who can't afford 40K COA on a 100k income

Again: that is no longer part of the criteria they use for ranking. Move along.

Did you even read the methodology? They replaced first gen factors with Pell grant factors. Still weighted as heavily as last year. These factors only reflect social mobility, not educational experience for all. USN&WR remain irrelevant for most DCUM users whose kids are not in need of social mobility.

My kids could use some mobility.

+1
So could mine! I love how the PP deigns to speak for everyone.

Nope, I said MOST DCUM users aren’t focused on social mobility. DCUM has one of the wealthiest, most educated user bases out there. They’re looking for educational quality, not admission and performance of low income students. So these rankings are irrelevant to those users, yet people don’t read the methodology and treat it as some sort of holy grail.

If now USN, then what? What ranking would you consider to be a more legit measure of educational quality?

I don’t know why you need a ranking. If you must, look for one that focuses on what’s important to you. For me that would be size of classes, student quality, job or grad school placement within 6 months. Maybe you would care about the strength of the major. We focus on strong academics and a good fit.

[Anonymous]

Finally, USNews gets the list (mostly) right!!

Agree with the T30, and the T60. Happy for schools like UMass and Stonybrook getting some love. Northeastern is correct at 50+. Umiami and Villanova Santa Clara and Tulane are correct as well.

[Anonymous]

https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges Link

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:William and Mary behing Virginia Tech.

This is what high school counselors have been saying for years.

No they haven't.

Not shocking VT is ranked higher when they play affirmative action with first gens

What school doesn't? At least they're transparent about it.
DP

Not on the level VA tech does. They want 40% of the student body to be FGLI. Seems middle class gets no financial aid as a result of that. Makes US news happy, not so much the average Virginian who can't afford 40K COA on a 100k income

Again: that is no longer part of the criteria they use for ranking. Move along.

Did you even read the methodology? They replaced first gen factors with Pell grant factors. Still weighted as heavily as last year. These factors only reflect social mobility, not educational experience for all. USN&WR remain irrelevant for most DCUM users whose kids are not in need of social mobility.

My kids could use some mobility.

+1
So could mine! I love how the PP deigns to speak for everyone.

Nope, I said MOST DCUM users aren’t focused on social mobility. DCUM has one of the wealthiest, most educated user bases out there. They’re looking for educational quality, not admission and performance of low income students. So these rankings are irrelevant to those users, yet people don’t read the methodology and treat it as some sort of holy grail.

If now USN, then what? What ranking would you consider to be a more legit measure of educational quality?

I don’t know why you need a ranking. If you must, look for one that focuses on what’s important to you. For me that would be size of classes, student quality, job or grad school placement within 6 months. Maybe you would care about the strength of the major. We focus on strong academics and a good fit.

+1

“Educational quality” cannot be quantified or ranked.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Finally, USNews gets the list (mostly) right!!

Agree with the T30, and the T60. Happy for schools like UMass and Stonybrook getting some love. Northeastern is correct at 50+. Umiami and Villanova Santa Clara and Tulane are correct as well.

Because it agrees with your personal opinion, it’s right?! What a crazy way to go through life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Another year with ND in the top 20. Another year the haters will say it won't last. Always get a chuckle out of this.

ND would be the perfect school imo if it backed the gas off on religion just a smidge. I know they’ve just expanded financial aid for middle class applicants and gone need blind for international applicants which may bring in a bit more diversity of voices.

But the vibes there are very good. The kids are happy, the sports are fun, the academics are solid, the job placement is great. What else do you want?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Finally, USNews gets the list (mostly) right!!

Agree with the T30, and the T60. Happy for schools like UMass and Stonybrook getting some love. Northeastern is correct at 50+. Umiami and Villanova Santa Clara and Tulane are correct as well.

Because it agrees with your personal opinion, it’s right?! What a crazy way to go through life.

It’s better than being cranky and judgmental at anonymous posters, that’s a really crazy way to live Your life

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:William and Mary behing Virginia Tech.

This is what high school counselors have been saying for years.

No they haven't.

Not shocking VT is ranked higher when they play affirmative action with first gens

What school doesn't? At least they're transparent about it.
DP

Not on the level VA tech does. They want 40% of the student body to be FGLI. Seems middle class gets no financial aid as a result of that. Makes US news happy, not so much the average Virginian who can't afford 40K COA on a 100k income

Again: that is no longer part of the criteria they use for ranking. Move along.

Did you even read the methodology? They replaced first gen factors with Pell grant factors. Still weighted as heavily as last year. These factors only reflect social mobility, not educational experience for all. USN&WR remain irrelevant for most DCUM users whose kids are not in need of social mobility.

My kids could use some mobility.

+1
So could mine! I love how the PP deigns to speak for everyone.

Nope, I said MOST DCUM users aren’t focused on social mobility. DCUM has one of the wealthiest, most educated user bases out there. They’re looking for educational quality, not admission and performance of low income students. So these rankings are irrelevant to those users, yet people don’t read the methodology and treat it as some sort of holy grail.

If now USN, then what? What ranking would you consider to be a more legit measure of educational quality?

That should be you.
All those rankings are reference points for you to come up with your actual ranking.
Someone needs to tell you this??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:William and Mary behing Virginia Tech.

This is what high school counselors have been saying for years.

No they haven't.

Not shocking VT is ranked higher when they play affirmative action with first gens

What school doesn't? At least they're transparent about it.
DP

Not on the level VA tech does. They want 40% of the student body to be FGLI. Seems middle class gets no financial aid as a result of that. Makes US news happy, not so much the average Virginian who can't afford 40K COA on a 100k income

Again: that is no longer part of the criteria they use for ranking. Move along.

Did you even read the methodology? They replaced first gen factors with Pell grant factors. Still weighted as heavily as last year. These factors only reflect social mobility, not educational experience for all. USN&WR remain irrelevant for most DCUM users whose kids are not in need of social mobility.

My kids could use some mobility.

+1
So could mine! I love how the PP deigns to speak for everyone.

Nope, I said MOST DCUM users aren’t focused on social mobility. DCUM has one of the wealthiest, most educated user bases out there. They’re looking for educational quality, not admission and performance of low income students. So these rankings are irrelevant to those users, yet people don’t read the methodology and treat it as some sort of holy grail.

If now USN, then what? What ranking would you consider to be a more legit measure of educational quality?

That should be you.
All those rankings are reference points for you to come up with your actual ranking.
Someone needs to tell you this??

DP please stfu.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:William and Mary behing Virginia Tech.

This is what high school counselors have been saying for years.

+1
They were behind last year too.

Can you elaborate on what the high school counselors are saying about WM?

[Anonymous]

Don’t care about the rankings, but - oof - those tuition and fees numbers have jumped

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:William and Mary behing Virginia Tech.

This is what high school counselors have been saying for years.

No they haven't.

Not shocking VT is ranked higher when they play affirmative action with first gens

What school doesn't? At least they're transparent about it.
DP

Not on the level VA tech does. They want 40% of the student body to be FGLI. Seems middle class gets no financial aid as a result of that. Makes US news happy, not so much the average Virginian who can't afford 40K COA on a 100k income

Again: that is no longer part of the criteria they use for ranking. Move along.

Did you even read the methodology? They replaced first gen factors with Pell grant factors. Still weighted as heavily as last year. These factors only reflect social mobility, not educational experience for all. USN&WR remain irrelevant for most DCUM users whose kids are not in need of social mobility.

My kids could use some mobility.

+1
So could mine! I love how the PP deigns to speak for everyone.

Nope, I said MOST DCUM users aren’t focused on social mobility. DCUM has one of the wealthiest, most educated user bases out there. They’re looking for educational quality, not admission and performance of low income students. So these rankings are irrelevant to those users, yet people don’t read the methodology and treat it as some sort of holy grail.

If now USN, then what? What ranking would you consider to be a more legit measure of educational quality?

That should be you.
All those rankings are reference points for you to come up with your actual ranking.
Someone needs to tell you this??

DP please stfu.

The actual ranking would then reflect people's choices. The aggregated results of acceptance rate, yield, and student stats would determine the ultimate ranking. This is based on how real people have ranked the schools.

A magazine might rank a school higher with a 90% acceptance rate, 9% yield, and 1200 SAT kids. However, in reality people would rank it lower and not choose it. This would ultimately reflect the true ranking. Consumers have the real power to rank the schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:William and Mary behing Virginia Tech.

This is what high school counselors have been saying for years.

No they haven't.

Not shocking VT is ranked higher when they play affirmative action with first gens

What school doesn't? At least they're transparent about it.
DP

Not on the level VA tech does. They want 40% of the student body to be FGLI. Seems middle class gets no financial aid as a result of that. Makes US news happy, not so much the average Virginian who can't afford 40K COA on a 100k income

Again: that is no longer part of the criteria they use for ranking. Move along.

Did you even read the methodology? They replaced first gen factors with Pell grant factors. Still weighted as heavily as last year. These factors only reflect social mobility, not educational experience for all. USN&WR remain irrelevant for most DCUM users whose kids are not in need of social mobility.

My kids could use some mobility.

+1
So could mine! I love how the PP deigns to speak for everyone.

Nope, I said MOST DCUM users aren’t focused on social mobility. DCUM has one of the wealthiest, most educated user bases out there. They’re looking for educational quality, not admission and performance of low income students. So these rankings are irrelevant to those users, yet people don’t read the methodology and treat it as some sort of holy grail.

If now USN, then what? What ranking would you consider to be a more legit measure of educational quality?

That should be you.
All those rankings are reference points for you to come up with your actual ranking.
Someone needs to tell you this??

DP please stfu.

The actual ranking would then reflect people's choices. The aggregated results of acceptance rate, yield, and student stats would determine the ultimate ranking. This is based on how real people have ranked the schools.

A magazine might rank a school higher with a 90% acceptance rate, 9% yield, and 1200 SAT kids. However, in reality people would rank it lower and not choose it. This would ultimately reflect the true ranking. Consumers have the real power to rank the schools.

No. Consumer choice does not equal quality of school.