Reply to If the colleges are all lying about their stats, why does anyone care about rankings?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]It’s all a game.

Test optional? 
Only high test scores are received and reported, skyrocketing the averages.

Spring freshman admits? First year or semester abroad? Their stats won’t be reported as freshman data.

I could go on. But yes, it’s a game. Some colleges play better than others. And anyone who thinks that an education at one top 25  school is vastly superior to another based on rankings is delusional.

[/quote]

Here are some typical tactics by USNews criteria:

Average six-year graduation rate 17.6%  and Average first-year student retention rate 4.4% - inflate grades making graduation easy; do not take on any “risky” kids who might deserve a chance; figure out ways to lower the denominator; do not expel
Social mobility 5%, (Pell Grant graduation rates 2.5%; Pell Grant graduation rates compared all other students 2.5%) -- this is a new category, so give schools a couple of years to figure out how to spin it
Graduation rate performance 8%  -- inflate grades making graduation easy; do not take on any “risky” kids who might deserve a chance; figure out ways to lower the denominator; do not expel
Peer assessment survey 15% - you scratch my back I’ll scratch yours
High school counselors' ratings 5% -- market to them
Class size index 8% -- some change this year, but limit class size to exact USNews cutoff points that earn points (e.g. 19 rather than 20 and 49 rather than 50); use independent study 
Faculty compensation 7% - use poorly-paid adjuncts and teaching assistants to actually teach and free up highly-paid tenure-track faculty more to do research that boost reputation
Percent faculty with terminal degree in their field 3%  - require terminal degree even if better alternative exists.
Percent faculty that is full time 1% -- only 1% so not very damaging to have adjuncts; does not mean the faculty actually teach (TAs)
Student-faculty ratio 1% - count all faculty in calculations including those primarily in research or only teach graduate students 
Math and evidence-based reading and writing portions of the SAT and the composite ACT scores 7.75% - Put low scorers in spring admit; do not require for international students; go test optional (only high scorers will submit); use merit aid (even if from wealth families) to get high scorers 
High school class standing in top 10% 2.25% -- Most high schools don’t provide rank any more.  For ones that do, favor those in top 10% to boost ranking and give the impression all are in that category.
Acceptance rate 0% - this has been dropped but 1) adopt common application 2) market to get anyone to apply including foreign countries and those who are not qualified 3) count even unfinished applications 4) drop essays or anything that is difficult
Financial resources per student 10% -- Count any resources allowed (there is significant latitude), including money actually spent on research including medical, graduate program spending, etc. 
Average alumni giving rate 5% -- try to lower the denominator by not reaching out to alumni who aren’t giving (we lost contact); push for any donation, regardless of how small.[/quote]

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