2022 US News Best National Universities

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are the extension students at Harvard taking classes alongside Harvard College students? It’s doubtful many are since 70% of the courses are given online. I think it’s wonderful that Columbia allows 1/3 of its undergraduates to be non traditional students and in classrooms with those brilliant 18 year olds. USNWR rewards them for this as well, by not reporting the huge percentage of students entering without the stellar grades and scores.

What's not reported? SAT scores?
Come on, it's test optional now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it’s cute that Columbia, which is overwhelmingly a graduate/professional university, has ascended to the near top at USNWR. It is a superlative school for sure, but definitely has benefited by playing into the criteria used by that ranking system.

No idea what this means since everyone knows that Columbia has a very strong undergraduate presence

A very strong undergraduate presence with 1/3 of its undergraduates not matriculated as 18 year olds out of high school? Columbia’s stats are skewed by ignoring a huge minority of students who came through the back door. Those same students in the College of General Studies take classes alongside Columbia College students, so it’s not like they have an entirely separate curriculum. I highly doubt than any other of the top ten undergraduate schools have that high a percentage of alternative students.

No, it has not diminished the Columbia brand name in the slightest. It does make Columbia a very respectable institution nonetheless for accepting all those veterans, as PP suggested. I looked up the stats and 21% of GS are actually veterans, not your random high-school dropouts. And GS students are admitted through a rigorous selection process like regular college students, unlike Harvard Extension School.

And yet there are posters on this thread who believe that veterans who fought for our country don’t deserve to receive an Ivy League education because they’re not the pristine WASP prep school 18 year old. I’m lost for words...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why are Wf and Uf above boston college? where is BC?

BC=good school, not a very good school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are the extension students at Harvard taking classes alongside Harvard College students? It’s doubtful many are since 70% of the courses are given online. I think it’s wonderful that Columbia allows 1/3 of its undergraduates to be non traditional students and in classrooms with those brilliant 18 year olds. USNWR rewards them for this as well, by not reporting the huge percentage of students entering without the stellar grades and scores.

Yes, they are. HES students can sit in for the same in-person classes as Harvard College students, as well as online classes. About 1,000 sit in for a ALB degree. Harvard does not report this data, neither does Penn, which awards bachelor degrees to nontraditional students through the School of Liberal and Professional Studies.

I’m sure that the vast majority are taking mostly online classes however. Be it as it may, Columbia brings it to a whole new level. 1/3 of its undergraduates in the SGS!

No, you're wrong. And they get the ALB degree that has been the focal point of complaint by quite a few Harvard students because HES students frequently present themselves as Harvard College grads. Columbia enrolls about 2,000 non-traditional students. So, you're saying that veterans (who compose a large percentage of SGS) who fought and bled for our country don't really deserve to get an Ivy League education? What's wrong with expanding access to an elite education? Aren't universities meant to increase social mobility? I am really at a loss of words.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it’s cute that Columbia, which is overwhelmingly a graduate/professional university, has ascended to the near top at USNWR. It is a superlative school for sure, but definitely has benefited by playing into the criteria used by that ranking system.

No idea what this means since everyone knows that Columbia has a very strong undergraduate presence

A very strong undergraduate presence with 1/3 of its undergraduates not matriculated as 18 year olds out of high school? Columbia’s stats are skewed by ignoring a huge minority of students who came through the back door. Those same students in the College of General Studies take classes alongside Columbia College students, so it’s not like they have an entirely separate curriculum. I highly doubt than any other of the top ten undergraduate schools have that high a percentage of alternative students.

No, it has not diminished the Columbia brand name in the slightest. It does make Columbia a very respectable institution nonetheless for accepting all those veterans, as PP suggested. I looked up the stats and 21% of GS are actually veterans, not your random high-school dropouts. And GS students are admitted through a rigorous selection process like regular college students, unlike Harvard Extension School.

And yet there are posters on this thread who believe that veterans who fought for our country don’t deserve to receive an Ivy League education because they’re not the pristine WASP prep school 18 year old. I’m lost for words...

+1. It's pathetic and really shows how mentally deranged and immature some people are on this forum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are the extension students at Harvard taking classes alongside Harvard College students? It’s doubtful many are since 70% of the courses are given online. I think it’s wonderful that Columbia allows 1/3 of its undergraduates to be non traditional students and in classrooms with those brilliant 18 year olds. USNWR rewards them for this as well, by not reporting the huge percentage of students entering without the stellar grades and scores.

Yes, they are. HES students can sit in for the same in-person classes as Harvard College students, as well as online classes. About 1,000 sit in for a ALB degree. Harvard does not report this data, neither does Penn, which awards bachelor degrees to nontraditional students through the School of Liberal and Professional Studies.

I’m sure that the vast majority are taking mostly online classes however. Be it as it may, Columbia brings it to a whole new level. 1/3 of its undergraduates in the SGS!

DCUM at its finest moment... we might as well just stop doling out financial aid and scholarships, you know, and just accept the kids of the richest who pay their kids' way into college. Poor people don't deserve a good education or a second chance. And maybe stop admitting token minorities too, since they didn't really earn their way in with stellar grades or scores, according to your logic. What a throwback to the good old days!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are the extension students at Harvard taking classes alongside Harvard College students? It’s doubtful many are since 70% of the courses are given online. I think it’s wonderful that Columbia allows 1/3 of its undergraduates to be non traditional students and in classrooms with those brilliant 18 year olds. USNWR rewards them for this as well, by not reporting the huge percentage of students entering without the stellar grades and scores.

Yes, they are. HES students can sit in for the same in-person classes as Harvard College students, as well as online classes. About 1,000 sit in for a ALB degree. Harvard does not report this data, neither does Penn, which awards bachelor degrees to nontraditional students through the School of Liberal and Professional Studies.

I’m sure that the vast majority are taking mostly online classes however. Be it as it may, Columbia brings it to a whole new level. 1/3 of its undergraduates in the SGS!

No, you're wrong. And they get the ALB degree that has been the focal point of complaint by quite a few Harvard students because HES students frequently present themselves as Harvard College grads. Columbia enrolls about 2,000 non-traditional students. So, you're saying that veterans (who compose a large percentage of SGS) who fought and bled for our country don't really deserve to get an Ivy League education? What's wrong with expanding access to an elite education? Aren't universities meant to increase social mobility? I am really at a loss of words.

You’re projecting too much. I never said anything about veterans. I’m saying that Columbia’s ranking is too high because USNWR rewards it for having way too high of a percentage of its transfer students in its undergraduate program. The vast majority of those students would never be admitted as freshman. The data provided by Columbia and distributed by USNWR give it an air of ultra eliteness. Is that really an accurate picture?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are the extension students at Harvard taking classes alongside Harvard College students? It’s doubtful many are since 70% of the courses are given online. I think it’s wonderful that Columbia allows 1/3 of its undergraduates to be non traditional students and in classrooms with those brilliant 18 year olds. USNWR rewards them for this as well, by not reporting the huge percentage of students entering without the stellar grades and scores.

Yes, they are. HES students can sit in for the same in-person classes as Harvard College students, as well as online classes. About 1,000 sit in for a ALB degree. Harvard does not report this data, neither does Penn, which awards bachelor degrees to nontraditional students through the School of Liberal and Professional Studies.

I’m sure that the vast majority are taking mostly online classes however. Be it as it may, Columbia brings it to a whole new level. 1/3 of its undergraduates in the SGS!

No, you're wrong. And they get the ALB degree that has been the focal point of complaint by quite a few Harvard students because HES students frequently present themselves as Harvard College grads. Columbia enrolls about 2,000 non-traditional students. So, you're saying that veterans (who compose a large percentage of SGS) who fought and bled for our country don't really deserve to get an Ivy League education? What's wrong with expanding access to an elite education? Aren't universities meant to increase social mobility? I am really at a loss of words.

You’re projecting too much. I never said anything about veterans. I’m saying that Columbia’s ranking is too high because USNWR rewards it for having way too high of a percentage of its transfer students in its undergraduate program. The vast majority of those students would never be admitted as freshman. The data provided by Columbia and distributed by USNWR give it an air of ultra eliteness. Is that really an accurate picture?

Columbia grad here. Not PP. I can vouch for the undergraduate college (CC) and engineering (SEAS), they are about as "elite" as any Ivy can be. But no, we don't have too high of a percentage of transfer students. At most 5% of the class, and it's very competitive, the acceptance rate is just as low as getting in as freshman. GS-wise, I am not really sure haha. It's in a league of its own, and the campus is quite segregated I would say, because GS people don't live on campus and tend to be much older, so they don't really interact with CC or SEAS students. It used to be exclusively for military folks, but I think now they've included community college transfers... They were never included in the rankings to begin with. I don't even think the school ever reports GS data. It's been doing so for the past 15-20 years, and it's not like GS is some hidden secret from USNWR editors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are the extension students at Harvard taking classes alongside Harvard College students? It’s doubtful many are since 70% of the courses are given online. I think it’s wonderful that Columbia allows 1/3 of its undergraduates to be non traditional students and in classrooms with those brilliant 18 year olds. USNWR rewards them for this as well, by not reporting the huge percentage of students entering without the stellar grades and scores.

Yes, they are. HES students can sit in for the same in-person classes as Harvard College students, as well as online classes. About 1,000 sit in for a ALB degree. Harvard does not report this data, neither does Penn, which awards bachelor degrees to nontraditional students through the School of Liberal and Professional Studies.

I’m sure that the vast majority are taking mostly online classes however. Be it as it may, Columbia brings it to a whole new level. 1/3 of its undergraduates in the SGS!

No, you're wrong. And they get the ALB degree that has been the focal point of complaint by quite a few Harvard students because HES students frequently present themselves as Harvard College grads. Columbia enrolls about 2,000 non-traditional students. So, you're saying that veterans (who compose a large percentage of SGS) who fought and bled for our country don't really deserve to get an Ivy League education? What's wrong with expanding access to an elite education? Aren't universities meant to increase social mobility? I am really at a loss of words.

You’re projecting too much. I never said anything about veterans. I’m saying that Columbia’s ranking is too high because USNWR rewards it for having way too high of a percentage of its transfer students in its undergraduate program. The vast majority of those students would never be admitted as freshman. The data provided by Columbia and distributed by USNWR give it an air of ultra eliteness. Is that really an accurate picture?

Columbia grad here. Not PP. I can vouch for the undergraduate college (CC) and engineering (SEAS), they are about as "elite" as any Ivy can be. But no, we don't have too high of a percentage of transfer students. At most 5% of the class, and it's very competitive, the acceptance rate is just as low as getting in as freshman. GS-wise, I am not really sure haha. It's in a league of its own, and the campus is quite segregated I would say, because GS people don't live on campus and tend to be much older, so they don't really interact with CC or SEAS students. It used to be exclusively for military folks, but I think now they've included community college transfers... They were never included in the rankings to begin with. I don't even think the school ever reports GS data. It's been doing so for the past 15-20 years, and it's not like GS is some hidden secret from USNWR editors.

Can we stop talking about Columbia. It's a great school, just not HYPSM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are the extension students at Harvard taking classes alongside Harvard College students? It’s doubtful many are since 70% of the courses are given online. I think it’s wonderful that Columbia allows 1/3 of its undergraduates to be non traditional students and in classrooms with those brilliant 18 year olds. USNWR rewards them for this as well, by not reporting the huge percentage of students entering without the stellar grades and scores.

Yes, they are. HES students can sit in for the same in-person classes as Harvard College students, as well as online classes. About 1,000 sit in for a ALB degree. Harvard does not report this data, neither does Penn, which awards bachelor degrees to nontraditional students through the School of Liberal and Professional Studies.

I’m sure that the vast majority are taking mostly online classes however. Be it as it may, Columbia brings it to a whole new level. 1/3 of its undergraduates in the SGS!

No, you're wrong. And they get the ALB degree that has been the focal point of complaint by quite a few Harvard students because HES students frequently present themselves as Harvard College grads. Columbia enrolls about 2,000 non-traditional students. So, you're saying that veterans (who compose a large percentage of SGS) who fought and bled for our country don't really deserve to get an Ivy League education? What's wrong with expanding access to an elite education? Aren't universities meant to increase social mobility? I am really at a loss of words.

You’re projecting too much. I never said anything about veterans. I’m saying that Columbia’s ranking is too high because USNWR rewards it for having way too high of a percentage of its transfer students in its undergraduate program. The vast majority of those students would never be admitted as freshman. The data provided by Columbia and distributed by USNWR give it an air of ultra eliteness. Is that really an accurate picture?

Columbia grad here. Not PP. I can vouch for the undergraduate college (CC) and engineering (SEAS), they are about as "elite" as any Ivy can be. But no, we don't have too high of a percentage of transfer students. At most 5% of the class, and it's very competitive, the acceptance rate is just as low as getting in as freshman. GS-wise, I am not really sure haha. It's in a league of its own, and the campus is quite segregated I would say, because GS people don't live on campus and tend to be much older, so they don't really interact with CC or SEAS students. It used to be exclusively for military folks, but I think now they've included community college transfers... They were never included in the rankings to begin with. I don't even think the school ever reports GS data. It's been doing so for the past 15-20 years, and it's not like GS is some hidden secret from USNWR editors.

Thanks for your thoughtful response. Columbia exclaims in their websites that GS matriculants are taking classes right alongside the general student population. That is 1/3 of the student body. Do you think that high of a percentage of transfers is common at Ivy League schools or other elite universities? If they are in classes with CC students, do they not interact with them at that time?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are the extension students at Harvard taking classes alongside Harvard College students? It’s doubtful many are since 70% of the courses are given online. I think it’s wonderful that Columbia allows 1/3 of its undergraduates to be non traditional students and in classrooms with those brilliant 18 year olds. USNWR rewards them for this as well, by not reporting the huge percentage of students entering without the stellar grades and scores.

Yes, they are. HES students can sit in for the same in-person classes as Harvard College students, as well as online classes. About 1,000 sit in for a ALB degree. Harvard does not report this data, neither does Penn, which awards bachelor degrees to nontraditional students through the School of Liberal and Professional Studies.

I’m sure that the vast majority are taking mostly online classes however. Be it as it may, Columbia brings it to a whole new level. 1/3 of its undergraduates in the SGS!

No, you're wrong. And they get the ALB degree that has been the focal point of complaint by quite a few Harvard students because HES students frequently present themselves as Harvard College grads. Columbia enrolls about 2,000 non-traditional students. So, you're saying that veterans (who compose a large percentage of SGS) who fought and bled for our country don't really deserve to get an Ivy League education? What's wrong with expanding access to an elite education? Aren't universities meant to increase social mobility? I am really at a loss of words.

You’re projecting too much. I never said anything about veterans. I’m saying that Columbia’s ranking is too high because USNWR rewards it for having way too high of a percentage of its transfer students in its undergraduate program. The vast majority of those students would never be admitted as freshman. The data provided by Columbia and distributed by USNWR give it an air of ultra eliteness. Is that really an accurate picture?

Columbia grad here. Not PP. I can vouch for the undergraduate college (CC) and engineering (SEAS), they are about as "elite" as any Ivy can be. But no, we don't have too high of a percentage of transfer students. At most 5% of the class, and it's very competitive, the acceptance rate is just as low as getting in as freshman. GS-wise, I am not really sure haha. It's in a league of its own, and the campus is quite segregated I would say, because GS people don't live on campus and tend to be much older, so they don't really interact with CC or SEAS students. It used to be exclusively for military folks, but I think now they've included community college transfers... They were never included in the rankings to begin with. I don't even think the school ever reports GS data. It's been doing so for the past 15-20 years, and it's not like GS is some hidden secret from USNWR editors.

Can we stop talking about Columbia. It's a great school, just not HYPSM.

I totally agree. However, USNWR has them currently ranked at #2. Is that really realistic? After all the title of this thread is about USNWR rankings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are the extension students at Harvard taking classes alongside Harvard College students? It’s doubtful many are since 70% of the courses are given online. I think it’s wonderful that Columbia allows 1/3 of its undergraduates to be non traditional students and in classrooms with those brilliant 18 year olds. USNWR rewards them for this as well, by not reporting the huge percentage of students entering without the stellar grades and scores.

Yes, they are. HES students can sit in for the same in-person classes as Harvard College students, as well as online classes. About 1,000 sit in for a ALB degree. Harvard does not report this data, neither does Penn, which awards bachelor degrees to nontraditional students through the School of Liberal and Professional Studies.

I’m sure that the vast majority are taking mostly online classes however. Be it as it may, Columbia brings it to a whole new level. 1/3 of its undergraduates in the SGS!

No, you're wrong. And they get the ALB degree that has been the focal point of complaint by quite a few Harvard students because HES students frequently present themselves as Harvard College grads. Columbia enrolls about 2,000 non-traditional students. So, you're saying that veterans (who compose a large percentage of SGS) who fought and bled for our country don't really deserve to get an Ivy League education? What's wrong with expanding access to an elite education? Aren't universities meant to increase social mobility? I am really at a loss of words.

You’re projecting too much. I never said anything about veterans. I’m saying that Columbia’s ranking is too high because USNWR rewards it for having way too high of a percentage of its transfer students in its undergraduate program. The vast majority of those students would never be admitted as freshman. The data provided by Columbia and distributed by USNWR give it an air of ultra eliteness. Is that really an accurate picture?

Columbia grad here. Not PP. I can vouch for the undergraduate college (CC) and engineering (SEAS), they are about as "elite" as any Ivy can be. But no, we don't have too high of a percentage of transfer students. At most 5% of the class, and it's very competitive, the acceptance rate is just as low as getting in as freshman. GS-wise, I am not really sure haha. It's in a league of its own, and the campus is quite segregated I would say, because GS people don't live on campus and tend to be much older, so they don't really interact with CC or SEAS students. It used to be exclusively for military folks, but I think now they've included community college transfers... They were never included in the rankings to begin with. I don't even think the school ever reports GS data. It's been doing so for the past 15-20 years, and it's not like GS is some hidden secret from USNWR editors.

Can we stop talking about Columbia. It's a great school, just not HYPSM.

Not that I wanted to. Since its #2 this year and other posters are apparently upset and ranting about it in this thread. So it’s now worthy of discussion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are the extension students at Harvard taking classes alongside Harvard College students? It’s doubtful many are since 70% of the courses are given online. I think it’s wonderful that Columbia allows 1/3 of its undergraduates to be non traditional students and in classrooms with those brilliant 18 year olds. USNWR rewards them for this as well, by not reporting the huge percentage of students entering without the stellar grades and scores.

Yes, they are. HES students can sit in for the same in-person classes as Harvard College students, as well as online classes. About 1,000 sit in for a ALB degree. Harvard does not report this data, neither does Penn, which awards bachelor degrees to nontraditional students through the School of Liberal and Professional Studies.

I’m sure that the vast majority are taking mostly online classes however. Be it as it may, Columbia brings it to a whole new level. 1/3 of its undergraduates in the SGS!

No, you're wrong. And they get the ALB degree that has been the focal point of complaint by quite a few Harvard students because HES students frequently present themselves as Harvard College grads. Columbia enrolls about 2,000 non-traditional students. So, you're saying that veterans (who compose a large percentage of SGS) who fought and bled for our country don't really deserve to get an Ivy League education? What's wrong with expanding access to an elite education? Aren't universities meant to increase social mobility? I am really at a loss of words.

You’re projecting too much. I never said anything about veterans. I’m saying that Columbia’s ranking is too high because USNWR rewards it for having way too high of a percentage of its transfer students in its undergraduate program. The vast majority of those students would never be admitted as freshman. The data provided by Columbia and distributed by USNWR give it an air of ultra eliteness. Is that really an accurate picture?

Columbia grad here. Not PP. I can vouch for the undergraduate college (CC) and engineering (SEAS), they are about as "elite" as any Ivy can be. But no, we don't have too high of a percentage of transfer students. At most 5% of the class, and it's very competitive, the acceptance rate is just as low as getting in as freshman. GS-wise, I am not really sure haha. It's in a league of its own, and the campus is quite segregated I would say, because GS people don't live on campus and tend to be much older, so they don't really interact with CC or SEAS students. It used to be exclusively for military folks, but I think now they've included community college transfers... They were never included in the rankings to begin with. I don't even think the school ever reports GS data. It's been doing so for the past 15-20 years, and it's not like GS is some hidden secret from USNWR editors.

Thanks for your thoughtful response. Columbia exclaims in their websites that GS matriculants are taking classes right alongside the general student population. That is 1/3 of the student body. Do you think that high of a percentage of transfers is common at Ivy League schools or other elite universities? If they are in classes with CC students, do they not interact with them at that time?

1. They are not transfers. We did interact but again, it’s very limited. CC students also have their own classes, like the core.
2. I don’t get where your antagonism to non-traditional students is coming from. As other posters suggested, Harvard has HES and Penn has a large cohort of non traditional students. But only when Columbia does it, it seems (from your perspective) that it may have an impact on our reputation.
3. To be honest, they have no tangible impact on Columbia’s reputation whatsoever except to a person like you maybe. Columbia is doing just fine with recruiting and at many other things. With all those affirmative action programs nowadays GS people even have a leg up at recruiting at places like Goldman Sachs or JPM that have programs reserved for veterans and underrepresented minorities. Wall Street loves those veterans by the way. Full stop. I will speak of this no more. Let’s move on to a new topic or we can start a new thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are the extension students at Harvard taking classes alongside Harvard College students? It’s doubtful many are since 70% of the courses are given online. I think it’s wonderful that Columbia allows 1/3 of its undergraduates to be non traditional students and in classrooms with those brilliant 18 year olds. USNWR rewards them for this as well, by not reporting the huge percentage of students entering without the stellar grades and scores.

Yes, they are. HES students can sit in for the same in-person classes as Harvard College students, as well as online classes. About 1,000 sit in for a ALB degree. Harvard does not report this data, neither does Penn, which awards bachelor degrees to nontraditional students through the School of Liberal and Professional Studies.

I’m sure that the vast majority are taking mostly online classes however. Be it as it may, Columbia brings it to a whole new level. 1/3 of its undergraduates in the SGS!

IMO, still better than taking all your classes online and getting a bachelors from Harvard without having to do the grind that Harvard College students have gone through. A lot of rich foreigners do that, especially the Chinese who just wanted to pad their resumes with an American degree. As cash cows, they aren’t that different after all. Being Harvard per se does not make HES any more legitimate than Columbia GS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are the extension students at Harvard taking classes alongside Harvard College students? It’s doubtful many are since 70% of the courses are given online. I think it’s wonderful that Columbia allows 1/3 of its undergraduates to be non traditional students and in classrooms with those brilliant 18 year olds. USNWR rewards them for this as well, by not reporting the huge percentage of students entering without the stellar grades and scores.

Yes, they are. HES students can sit in for the same in-person classes as Harvard College students, as well as online classes. About 1,000 sit in for a ALB degree. Harvard does not report this data, neither does Penn, which awards bachelor degrees to nontraditional students through the School of Liberal and Professional Studies.

I’m sure that the vast majority are taking mostly online classes however. Be it as it may, Columbia brings it to a whole new level. 1/3 of its undergraduates in the SGS!

No, you're wrong. And they get the ALB degree that has been the focal point of complaint by quite a few Harvard students because HES students frequently present themselves as Harvard College grads. Columbia enrolls about 2,000 non-traditional students. So, you're saying that veterans (who compose a large percentage of SGS) who fought and bled for our country don't really deserve to get an Ivy League education? What's wrong with expanding access to an elite education? Aren't universities meant to increase social mobility? I am really at a loss of words.

You’re projecting too much. I never said anything about veterans. I’m saying that Columbia’s ranking is too high because USNWR rewards it for having way too high of a percentage of its transfer students in its undergraduate program. The vast majority of those students would never be admitted as freshman. The data provided by Columbia and distributed by USNWR give it an air of ultra eliteness. Is that really an accurate picture?

Columbia grad here. Not PP. I can vouch for the undergraduate college (CC) and engineering (SEAS), they are about as "elite" as any Ivy can be. But no, we don't have too high of a percentage of transfer students. At most 5% of the class, and it's very competitive, the acceptance rate is just as low as getting in as freshman. GS-wise, I am not really sure haha. It's in a league of its own, and the campus is quite segregated I would say, because GS people don't live on campus and tend to be much older, so they don't really interact with CC or SEAS students. It used to be exclusively for military folks, but I think now they've included community college transfers... They were never included in the rankings to begin with. I don't even think the school ever reports GS data. It's been doing so for the past 15-20 years, and it's not like GS is some hidden secret from USNWR editors.

Can we stop talking about Columbia. It's a great school, just not HYPSM.

Although I would say that Columbia's undergraduate school may not be as desirable or prestigious as HYPSM, the school overall is better than some of those 5 schools.

With strong humanities, social sciences, and STEM departments, this puts Columbia in the tier of Harvard, Stanford, Princeton, and Berkeley for the arts and sciences. For professional schools, while they are not as good as Harvard and Stanford's, is still the third best overall when including law, medicine, business, international affairs, public health, journalism, etc.

Yale's weakness in STEM, and especially in engineering, is an embarrassment to the school at this point, and their business and med school isn't elite. While Princeton is strong across the arts and sciences, their lack of professional grad schools make it a school that shouldn't be grouped with universities that are elite in virtually all areas. The same argument goes for MIT, which is basically a one-trick pony in STEM (aside from business and some social sciences).

In other words, only two of the HYPSM schools are truly better than Columbia, and they are Harvard and Stanford. Columbia is a better school overall than Yale, Princeton, and MIT. I'm not saying that Columbia is more prestigious than these three schools, but objectively better from an academic standpoint.