Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love these threads! The subjective BS from posters about how they think schools should be ranked is always top-notch entertainment.

+1

Whole lot of feelings in these posts…

A whole lot of pathetic pieces of garbage in these posts...

On the one hand: the hostility toward schools like Columbia is absurd.

On the other hand: The rankings ARE relevant to borrowing money for college.

I’m pretty idealistic about the liberal arts and what an education is worth. But the rankings do have a bearing on what I’d be willing to borrow to pay the education for a typical great kid. If the competition was UVA for in-state tuition, the only schools I’d see as possibly being worth a lot more cash per year would be the top 10 schools here and a few SLACs.

Don’t know the obsession with guarding some stupid acronym or “tier” made up by insecure parents. They sound as if there’s some massive drop-off after HYPSM when in fact there really isn’t and it only lives in their imaginations. I’ve never heard the acronym being used in any formal, business, or even cocktail events. Can’t even find it on Wikipedia.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities

1. Princeton University
2. Columbia University
2. Harvard University
2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
5. Yale University
6. Stanford University
6. University of Chicago
8. University of Pennsylvania
9. California Institute of Technology
9. Duke University
9. Johns Hopkins University
9. Northwestern University
13. Dartmouth College
14. Brown University
14. Vanderbilt University
14. Washington University in St. Louis
17. Cornell University
17. Rice University
19. University of Notre Dame
20. University of California, Los Angeles
21. Emory University
22. University of California, Berkeley
23. Georgetown University
23. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
25. Carnegie Mellon University
25. University of Virginia
27. University of Southern California
28. New York University
28. Tufts University
28. University of California, Santa Barbara
28. University of Florida
28. University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
28. Wake Forest University

My thoughts: Columbia is not really at the same level as Harvard and MIT. Chicago is not at the same level as Stanford, which always appears underrated in USNWR. Hopkins is not at the level of Caltech and Duke. Why does UCLA continue to be above Berkeley? What does UCLA do better than Berkeley? The schools tied at 28 don't really seem any better than schools down around 40 or so. What would make UCSB better than UCSD or Texas or a number of other schools?

Nobody cares what you and your grandma think.

Spot on. Probably means fewer bragging rights for their kids

As a parent who visited 4 of the schools ranked at 28 in the past three years, I can easily see why those schools are all ranked 31 spots ahead of UMD. Stronger Academics, School Spirit, College Environment (UMD at College Park is a dump), Athletic Programs, Student Clubs, Research Opps/Internships, etc

Uhhh... Did you visit Cornell, Notre Dame, Wash U.? Cornell is in one of the most depressing towns with the weirdest, least friendly people on the planet. It's so depressing for a lot of students and the winters are like living in Antarctica, just with a bagel shop nearby. Notre Dame is in a small city that somehow still has massive gang violence problems, is basically a food desert, and whose only claim to fame is an RV factory and like six different crappy pizza places. Tons of poverty. Wash U? Well, you've been to St. Louis right? I went to Cornell and had job offers at Notre Dame and Wash U, so I know what I'm talking about. I didn't just "visit' as a parent. That said, yeah, College Park is trash. But that's not the reason for the rankings discrepancy

Those schools aren’t ranked 28

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How has Wake Forest, which had already been test optional so only those with the highest scores submit, hang on at 28 tied with Tufts when it has much lower standardized scores? Wake also is ahead of schools schools like Rochester, Boston College, Georgia Tech, William & Mary, BU, etc. that all have higher scores as well. It is a fine school, but I've never understood its ranking.

Agreed, seems off

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities

1. Princeton University
2. Columbia University
2. Harvard University
2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
5. Yale University
6. Stanford University
6. University of Chicago
8. University of Pennsylvania
9. California Institute of Technology
9. Duke University
9. Johns Hopkins University
9. Northwestern University
13. Dartmouth College
14. Brown University
14. Vanderbilt University
14. Washington University in St. Louis
17. Cornell University
17. Rice University
19. University of Notre Dame
20. University of California, Los Angeles
21. Emory University
22. University of California, Berkeley
23. Georgetown University
23. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
25. Carnegie Mellon University
25. University of Virginia
27. University of Southern California
28. New York University
28. Tufts University
28. University of California, Santa Barbara
28. University of Florida
28. University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
28. Wake Forest University

My thoughts: Columbia is not really at the same level as Harvard and MIT. Chicago is not at the same level as Stanford, which always appears underrated in USNWR. Hopkins is not at the level of Caltech and Duke. Why does UCLA continue to be above Berkeley? What does UCLA do better than Berkeley? The schools tied at 28 don't really seem any better than schools down around 40 or so. What would make UCSB better than UCSD or Texas or a number of other schools?

Nobody cares what you and your grandma think.

Spot on. Probably means fewer bragging rights for their kids

As a parent who visited 4 of the schools ranked at 28 in the past three years, I can easily see why those schools are all ranked 31 spots ahead of UMD. Stronger Academics, School Spirit, College Environment (UMD at College Park is a dump), Athletic Programs, Student Clubs, Research Opps/Internships, etc

Uhhh... Did you visit Cornell, Notre Dame, Wash U.? Cornell is in one of the most depressing towns with the weirdest, least friendly people on the planet. It's so depressing for a lot of students and the winters are like living in Antarctica, just with a bagel shop nearby. Notre Dame is in a small city that somehow still has massive gang violence problems, is basically a food desert, and whose only claim to fame is an RV factory and like six different crappy pizza places. Tons of poverty. Wash U? Well, you've been to St. Louis right? I went to Cornell and had job offers at Notre Dame and Wash U, so I know what I'm talking about. I didn't just "visit' as a parent. That said, yeah, College Park is trash. But that's not the reason for the rankings discrepancy

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities

1. Princeton University
2. Columbia University
2. Harvard University
2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
5. Yale University
6. Stanford University
6. University of Chicago
8. University of Pennsylvania
9. California Institute of Technology
9. Duke University
9. Johns Hopkins University
9. Northwestern University
13. Dartmouth College
14. Brown University
14. Vanderbilt University
14. Washington University in St. Louis
17. Cornell University
17. Rice University
19. University of Notre Dame
20. University of California, Los Angeles
21. Emory University
22. University of California, Berkeley
23. Georgetown University
23. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
25. Carnegie Mellon University
25. University of Virginia
27. University of Southern California
28. New York University
28. Tufts University
28. University of California, Santa Barbara
28. University of Florida
28. University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
28. Wake Forest University

My thoughts: Columbia is not really at the same level as Harvard and MIT. Chicago is not at the same level as Stanford, which always appears underrated in USNWR. Hopkins is not at the level of Caltech and Duke. Why does UCLA continue to be above Berkeley? What does UCLA do better than Berkeley? The schools tied at 28 don't really seem any better than schools down around 40 or so. What would make UCSB better than UCSD or Texas or a number of other schools?

Nobody cares what you and your grandma think.

Spot on. Probably means fewer bragging rights for their kids

As a parent who visited 4 of the schools ranked at 28 in the past three years, I can easily see why those schools are all ranked 31 spots ahead of UMD. Stronger Academics, School Spirit, College Environment (UMD at College Park is a dump), Athletic Programs, Student Clubs, Research Opps/Internships, etc

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities

1. Princeton University
2. Columbia University
2. Harvard University
2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
5. Yale University
6. Stanford University
6. University of Chicago
8. University of Pennsylvania
9. California Institute of Technology
9. Duke University
9. Johns Hopkins University
9. Northwestern University
13. Dartmouth College
14. Brown University
14. Vanderbilt University
14. Washington University in St. Louis
17. Cornell University
17. Rice University
19. University of Notre Dame
20. University of California, Los Angeles
21. Emory University
22. University of California, Berkeley
23. Georgetown University
23. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
25. Carnegie Mellon University
25. University of Virginia
27. University of Southern California
28. New York University
28. Tufts University
28. University of California, Santa Barbara
28. University of Florida
28. University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
28. Wake Forest University

My thoughts: Columbia is not really at the same level as Harvard and MIT. Chicago is not at the same level as Stanford, which always appears underrated in USNWR. Hopkins is not at the level of Caltech and Duke. Why does UCLA continue to be above Berkeley? What does UCLA do better than Berkeley? The schools tied at 28 don't really seem any better than schools down around 40 or so. What would make UCSB better than UCSD or Texas or a number of other schools?

Nobody cares what you and your grandma think.

Spot on. Probably means fewer bragging rights for their kids

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just look at yield rates for Columbia, even below Penn and Chicago

This list gives you a general ballpark idea of how schools are ranked. But it doesn't change people's mind much. I guess the Princeton alumni still work at US News. But very few believes Princeton being #1. Its yield rate in the 60% range is the lowest out of HYPSM. No one believes Chicago is tied with Stanford. Duke's yield rate is less than 50%. Few believes Columbia being #2 either. If you want to be in the top 5, you need to get rid of ED and see what your yield rate is with only EA as HYPSM do.

+1
Almost no one chooses to go to Chicago or Columbia if they think they can be accepted at HYPSM.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love these threads! The subjective BS from posters about how they think schools should be ranked is always top-notch entertainment.

+1

Whole lot of feelings in these posts…

A whole lot of pathetic pieces of garbage in these posts...

On the one hand: the hostility toward schools like Columbia is absurd.

On the other hand: The rankings ARE relevant to borrowing money for college.

I’m pretty idealistic about the liberal arts and what an education is worth. But the rankings do have a bearing on what I’d be willing to borrow to pay the education for a typical great kid. If the competition was UVA for in-state tuition, the only schools I’d see as possibly being worth a lot more cash per year would be the top 10 schools here and a few SLACs.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
You need a whole internet war to happen for it to change. Back in the days when everyone was only using HYP instead of HYPSM, there were daily arguments in college confidential to include Stanford and MIT in the acronym. If Columbia wants to join HYPSM to become HYPSMC, then the same thing needs to happen.

Oooooh, add Columbia, re-order and we get CHYMPS! I hereby nominate CHYMPS. Can I get a second?

Anonymous wrote:Just look at yield rates for Columbia, even below Penn and Chicago

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just look at yield rates for Columbia, even below Penn and Chicago

This list gives you a general ballpark idea of how schools are ranked. But it doesn't change people's mind much. I guess the Princeton alumni still work at US News. But very few believes Princeton being #1. Its yield rate in the 60% range is the lowest out of HYPSM. No one believes Chicago is tied with Stanford. Duke's yield rate is less than 50%. Few believes Columbia being #2 either. If you want to be in the top 5, you need to get rid of ED and see what your yield rate is with only EA as HYPSM do.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities

1. Princeton University
2. Columbia University
2. Harvard University
2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
5. Yale University
6. Stanford University
6. University of Chicago
8. University of Pennsylvania
9. California Institute of Technology
9. Duke University
9. Johns Hopkins University
9. Northwestern University
13. Dartmouth College
14. Brown University
14. Vanderbilt University
14. Washington University in St. Louis
17. Cornell University
17. Rice University
19. University of Notre Dame
20. University of California, Los Angeles
21. Emory University
22. University of California, Berkeley
23. Georgetown University
23. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
25. Carnegie Mellon University
25. University of Virginia
27. University of Southern California
28. New York University
28. Tufts University
28. University of California, Santa Barbara
28. University of Florida
28. University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
28. Wake Forest University

My thoughts: Columbia is not really at the same level as Harvard and MIT. Chicago is not at the same level as Stanford, which always appears underrated in USNWR. Hopkins is not at the level of Caltech and Duke. Why does UCLA continue to be above Berkeley? What does UCLA do better than Berkeley? The schools tied at 28 don't really seem any better than schools down around 40 or so. What would make UCSB better than UCSD or Texas or a number of other schools?

Nobody cares what you and your grandma think.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just look at yield rates for Columbia, even below Penn and Chicago

This list gives you a general ballpark idea of how schools are ranked. But it doesn't change people's mind much. I guess the Princeton alumni still work at US News. But very few believes Princeton being #1. Its yield rate in the 60% range is the lowest out of HYPSM. No one believes Chicago is tied with Stanford. Duke's yield rate is less than 50%. Few believes Columbia being #2 either. If you want to be in the top 5, you need to get rid of ED and see what your yield rate is with only EA as HYPSM do.

+1
Almost no one chooses to go to Chicago or Columbia if they think they can be accepted at HYPSM.

+Infinity

I agree with this. But....do you think there is anything that could "shake-up" the HYPSM reputational strong-hold? What would that be?

I believe it's starting to happen. It's going to take awhile longer so people continue to choose the "name-brand bragging-rights" of HYPSM.

You need a whole internet war to happen for it to change. Back in the days when everyone was only using HYP instead of HYPSM, there were daily arguments in college confidential to include Stanford and MIT in the acronym. If Columbia wants to join HYPSM to become HYPSMC, then the same thing needs to happen.

Yield rates, ED vs SCEA, and the actual quality of the schools have absolutely nothing to do with it. In the early 2000s, Yale was still using ED but no one tried to kick them out from HYP. Even though Columbia is overall a better school than Yale (better professional programs + STEM) and Princeton (elite grad programs as opposed to being nonexistent), no one cares.

People who are obsessed with guarding the HYPSM fortress are too stupid to understand these points. Also they all believe that a school’s reputation should solely be based on its undergraduate program, which is absurd.

Anonymous wrote:https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities

1. Princeton University
2. Columbia University
2. Harvard University
2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
5. Yale University
6. Stanford University
6. University of Chicago
8. University of Pennsylvania
9. California Institute of Technology
9. Duke University
9. Johns Hopkins University
9. Northwestern University
13. Dartmouth College
14. Brown University
14. Vanderbilt University
14. Washington University in St. Louis
17. Cornell University
17. Rice University
19. University of Notre Dame
20. University of California, Los Angeles
21. Emory University
22. University of California, Berkeley
23. Georgetown University
23. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
25. Carnegie Mellon University
25. University of Virginia
27. University of Southern California
28. New York University
28. Tufts University
28. University of California, Santa Barbara
28. University of Florida
28. University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
28. Wake Forest University