Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Twenty pages later, how did I know this thread would still be about UVA!

To be clear, most of the UVA mega threads are started by (the?) UVA basher(s). There is at least one poster on here who is fixated on rankings and putting down UVA. He attended Rice (which he constantly promotes) and was rejected by UVA and thinks that more STEM-focused schools should rank higher. He’s constantly promoting Cornell, MIT, Caltech, Stanford, UC-Berkeley and UM.

Also, some of what appears to be initial UVA support is a straw-man post by the basher so he can claim UVA boosterism and start his put downs. These initial posts likely come from the same poster because the original and bashing posts quickly follow each other. Also, the first post that supports UVA frequently comes early in the thread, which, again, is meant to generate antagonism toward UVA (they’re obnoxious).

Yes, UVA is a great school and elite, but much of the nuttiness generated around it is trolling.

Just when you thought UVA boosters couldn't get any crazier.

PSA: there are many people posting on this forum.

Don't kid yourself, the majority of people here with UVA equities could care less. There are only a couple of people going back and forth and yes, the basher is usally the culprit.

This particular thread could have gone forever. It's a fun and interesting topic.

But the UVA people are nuts. They hijack everything.

I don't live in VA. I don't care. But goodness, you UVA people are the most insecure, desperate, thirsty people I've ever encountered. You are not doing your school any favors.

Couldn't agree more. I used to like UVA but the crazy posters on this site, year after year, who hijack every thread have made me hate that school!

+1, especially that poster who kept insisting UVA is the best school in the South and that Duke is just a basketball school. If they're going to boost UVA, they should at least make it reasonable. No one thinks UVA is above the top privates in the South, let alone DUKE.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can most students graduate in 4 years from UVA? There’s no issues with getting necessary classes like at UCB or UCLA?

Yea, but US News has decided to use 6 year graduation rates.

because that is pc

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Twenty pages later, how did I know this thread would still be about UVA!

To be clear, most of the UVA mega threads are started by (the?) UVA basher(s). There is at least one poster on here who is fixated on rankings and putting down UVA. He attended Rice (which he constantly promotes) and was rejected by UVA and thinks that more STEM-focused schools should rank higher. He’s constantly promoting Cornell, MIT, Caltech, Stanford, UC-Berkeley and UM.

Also, some of what appears to be initial UVA support is a straw-man post by the basher so he can claim UVA boosterism and start his put downs. These initial posts likely come from the same poster because the original and bashing posts quickly follow each other. Also, the first post that supports UVA frequently comes early in the thread, which, again, is meant to generate antagonism toward UVA (they’re obnoxious).

Yes, UVA is a great school and elite, but much of the nuttiness generated around it is trolling.

Just when you thought UVA boosters couldn't get any crazier.

PSA: there are many people posting on this forum.

Don't kid yourself, the majority of people here with UVA equities could care less. There are only a couple of people going back and forth and yes, the basher is usally the culprit.

This particular thread could have gone forever. It's a fun and interesting topic.

But the UVA people are nuts. They hijack everything.

I don't live in VA. I don't care. But goodness, you UVA people are the most insecure, desperate, thirsty people I've ever encountered. You are not doing your school any favors.

Couldn't agree more. I used to like UVA but the crazy posters on this site, year after year, who hijack every thread have made me hate that school!

I wouldn't base anything off of what anonymous posters on a site say. You have no idea who they are, where they went to school, and why they are posting.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Twenty pages later, how did I know this thread would still be about UVA!

To be clear, most of the UVA mega threads are started by (the?) UVA basher(s). There is at least one poster on here who is fixated on rankings and putting down UVA. He attended Rice (which he constantly promotes) and was rejected by UVA and thinks that more STEM-focused schools should rank higher. He’s constantly promoting Cornell, MIT, Caltech, Stanford, UC-Berkeley and UM.

Also, some of what appears to be initial UVA support is a straw-man post by the basher so he can claim UVA boosterism and start his put downs. These initial posts likely come from the same poster because the original and bashing posts quickly follow each other. Also, the first post that supports UVA frequently comes early in the thread, which, again, is meant to generate antagonism toward UVA (they’re obnoxious).

Yes, UVA is a great school and elite, but much of the nuttiness generated around it is trolling.

Just when you thought UVA boosters couldn't get any crazier.

PSA: there are many people posting on this forum.

Don't kid yourself, the majority of people here with UVA equities could care less. There are only a couple of people going back and forth and yes, the basher is usally the culprit.

This particular thread could have gone forever. It's a fun and interesting topic.

But the UVA people are nuts. They hijack everything.

I don't live in VA. I don't care. But goodness, you UVA people are the most insecure, desperate, thirsty people I've ever encountered. You are not doing your school any favors.

Couldn't agree more. I used to like UVA but the crazy posters on this site, year after year, who hijack every thread have made me hate that school!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can most students graduate in 4 years from UVA? There’s no issues with getting necessary classes like at UCB or UCLA?

Of course they grad in 4 years. Those that come in with significant college credits through the governor's school graduate in three. I know several of them

They should not need to come in with credits to graduate in 4 years at UVA.

I did two of the more demanding majors in 4 years at another public university. I suspect course availability is the issue if this is not possible with only one major at UVA.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Second year on the national list, JMU moves up to 124. I know, it's not the top 20 we're all obsessed over. But I always thought that school should get more credit. Elon moved closer to where it should be and no longer in the top 100.

I saw that - good for JMU! It has served my family very well.

GNU is at 105. Isn't that a big rise too?

I think this was meant to say GMU, George Mason University? Yes, a big rise! They were previously tied for 137.

Anonymous wrote:Can most students graduate in 4 years from UVA? There’s no issues with getting necessary classes like at UCB or UCLA?

Of course they grad in 4 years. Those that come in with significant college credits through the governor's school graduate in three. I know several of them

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Second year on the national list, JMU moves up to 124. I know, it's not the top 20 we're all obsessed over. But I always thought that school should get more credit. Elon moved closer to where it should be and no longer in the top 100.

I saw that - good for JMU! It has served my family very well.

GNU is at 105. Isn't that a big rise too?

I assume you meant GMu. Our DD went there (yes live in dorms - its stopped being a commuter school decades ago for you old farts -0 go read Wikipedia on GMU before you post) Great experience for her. paid internshipos every summer. Hired before graduation for higj tech position

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:William and Mary sunk - not surprising.

Why did it sink and why is it not surprising? It still seems like you need a very high GPA to get in>

They have relatively few lower income students (Pell grant recipients) and are a smaller school so fewer research dollars in comparison with the many large universities. It still attracts top students--with very high GPA and high test scores, has excellent undergraduate teaching and top-notch post-graduation outcomes. The rankings are dumb.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can most students graduate in 4 years from UVA? There’s no issues with getting necessary classes like at UCB or UCLA?

Yea, but US News has decided to use 6 year graduation rates.

That’s because most students at schools like UVA opt into the easier majors. The harder disciplines, such as Engineering, often take a bit longer to complete.

Why would an engineering degree take more than 4 years? It sounds like the college is failing these kids.

Engineering degrees typically require more credit hours to complete. It’s that simple.

Engineering majors at top schools should all graduate in 4yrs or less. If UVA is taking longer, then it is failing.

Anonymous wrote:Chicago's student paper mentioned how they capped class sizes in 2008 to improve their ranking It was removed as part of the ranking formula this year and Chicago is no longer T10 in any ranking:
"The decision to forgo class size is especially impactful to the University’s ranking. Core classes have long been capped at 19 students, the number U.S. News considered to be a “small class.” In 2008, then-Dean of College Enrollment Michael Benkhe cited the policy as an example of how administrators had looked to improve the University’s position in rankings."
https://chicagomaroon.com/39840/news/uchicago-drops-to-no-12-in-u-s-news-rankings/

They were also spamming people with info and giving fee waivers to people with little chance of getting in. UChicago has always stayed in bounds, unlike say Columbia and CMC, but they've worked hard to appear and become more selective and raise their undergrad ranking since the early 2000s.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Second year on the national list, JMU moves up to 124. I know, it's not the top 20 we're all obsessed over. But I always thought that school should get more credit. Elon moved closer to where it should be and no longer in the top 100.

I saw that - good for JMU! It has served my family very well.

GNU is at 105. Isn't that a big rise too?

Anonymous wrote:William and Mary sunk - not surprising.

Why did it sink and why is it not surprising? It still seems like you need a very high GPA to get in>

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can most students graduate in 4 years from UVA? There’s no issues with getting necessary classes like at UCB or UCLA?

Yea, but US News has decided to use 6 year graduation rates.

That’s because most students at schools like UVA opt into the easier majors. The harder disciplines, such as Engineering, often take a bit longer to complete.

Why would an engineering degree take more than 4 years? It sounds like the college is failing these kids.

Engineering degrees typically require more credit hours to complete. It’s that simple.

and of course, they the courses tend to be harder.

I went to Hopkins and the engineering majors all managed to graduate on time. This is an issue only where class availability is limited, and definitely is a relevant consideration when choosing a school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the new methodology removing class rank raises a legit issue about the ranking removing too many academic-focused factors, but by the same token, the class size and alumni engagement factors were too easily gamed by a lot of private schools and artificially propped them up.

Ultimately, I think the new rankings overall are better in clarifying, “Which schools are actually worth paying $90,000 per year over our in-state flagship?” The rankings still indicate that there’s a clear difference by going to an Ivy or its other peers in the top 20-ish, but maybe people will be dissuaded from thinking that paying a lot extra for, say, Tufts or Wake Forest is going to result in materially different outcomes compared to many of the major public flagships.

I disagree, if you want small class sizes, more professors with phds, and more money spent per student, you are going to get that at Wake or Tufts over Rutgers.

If you care more about social mobility, pick Rutgers.

The American university system is (to put it mildly) an anomaly amongst Western university systems, not least because it comprises so few world-class public institutions, and unlike their Canadian and European counterparts, these few have been losing taxpayer support over the years.
So sure, if I'm a resident of CA, MI, VA, NC, TX or GA and my child earns admission to Cal, UCLA, Michigan, Virginia, W & M, UNC-Chapel Hill, Plan II at UT-Austin or Ga Tech, then yes, I might not think it financially wise to shell out for Tufts or Wake Forest. But one of the most important factors affecting the quality of one's education is the quality of intellectual engagement on the part of one's peers. The 25th SAT percentiles for the Class of 2026 at the University of South Dakota were a 500 V/520 M which is to say that a quarter of that class scored even lower than 500/520 (and a quarter scored over 640/660). Even if we concede that standardized test scores correlate to parental wealth and are not necessarily an indication of intellectual ability, they probably reflect student preparedness for undergraduate level work. If I'm a resident of S. Dakota and my 18-year-old has taken the most challenging courses available at our local high school and has earned at least a 740 on both sections of the SAT, then yes, assuming that I can truly afford the tuition (and by "afford" I mean without having to remortgage the house, take on unmanageable debt, take funds out of retirement or sell a kidney), I'd consider it money well spent to send my kid to Tufts or Wake Forest.

For the record, over a quarter of the Rutgers Class of 2026 scored over a 720 V/760M on the SAT. So there is an argument to be made that in attending Rutgers, one gets the best of both worlds: smart, high achieving peers and the wider perspective that comes from interacting with peers from all over the socio-economic spectrum.