<p>^ Yeah, Forbes ranking is trash. </p>
<p>Academic prestige is derived primarily from research and the faculty. A top notch undergrad class will only carry the institution so far because frankly, smart 18 year-olds are a dime-a-dozen across elite academic institutions. USC knows this.</p>
<p>Unfortunately for USC, attracting top faculty, increasing research reputation and improving graduate schools will take a lot longer than becoming more selective for undergrads while riding a demographic wave known as Tidal Wave II.</p>