<p>Dorian_Mode-
You are right. By “better”, I mean simpler, more parsimonious. I am saying that US News could get essentially the same result with less information.</p>
<p>xiggi-
I am not sure what you mean by “variance”. Harvey Mudd has an unsusually low graduation rate. Smith and Bryn Mawr have relatively low SAT scores and/or graduation rates. (which might affect their rankings)</p>
<p>bclintonk-
Why do you think faculty salaries and alumni giving are unrelated to educational quality? They may be indirectly related.</p>