I am coming to the same conclusion - especially after reading the triggered posts from the kinds of people I steer clear of IRL. The new rankings are very welcome. |
| In its new ranking, USNWR used data from over a decade ago. Why would anyone use it to make their college lists unless they intellectually lazy. |
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U.S. News’ Rankings Not the ‘Behemoth’ Perceived
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/admissions/2023/09/13/us-news-not-behemoth-one-might-think |
lol ok but everyone refers to it |
| I think it's wonderful that colleges are generous with money and Pell Grants for those in need of financial assistance. I don't see how that factor makes a school more academically superior to any other school. |
But that's the entire issue with the new rankings. The intent is no loner to measure the academic merit of a school, but rather a school's impact on social mobility. And even by that measure, the methodology is bewildering. Never mind the top 20 schools. It's the list beyond 20 that is perplexing and head-scratching. |
Lol, don’t you mean only DCUMers refer to it? |
Baloney. Schools are putting out press releases about it. That means they care. You’re delusional. |
I didn’t do the study nor write the article. A (very) few schools wrote about it. So stop, smoking whatever you’re so smoking so early in the morning and get a life |
Yes, very difficult to understand. School A admits the top 5% of applicants but cherry picks the kids who can pay the most. Student body is very smart but mostly UMC+. No class mobility. Not a huge measurable difference in outcomes. School B admits the top 5% of applicants and is also need aware and makes a special effort to find students across all socioeconomic categories, including the poor. Student body is not mostly UMC. Substantial class mobility, the school makes a measurable difference in outcomes. Who can possibly solve the puzzle of “which school is better?” |
Unfortunately US News still has oversized influence for parents and students when they research colleges, and dictates perceived value of the school |
School B is better. |
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What's the best way to strip out the nonsense factors and build your own ranking using US News and maybe WSJ data?
I only care about first year experience, teaching quality (teacher-student ratios should factor into this), internships and job placements, and ROI (based on full cost of attendance, not their average cost). |
That's only half the answer. School B is better for low SES kids. School A is better for high SES kids. |
Use the NY Times ranking where you pick what is important for you. |