<p>I would argue that the greatest academic minds, the real masters are unquestionably at the top ranked universities. The ones that operate at the frontiers of science and technology, that push the limits of every discipline and are most recognized and admired by their peers. The Yo Yo Mas of mathematics and physics are not teaching at your local state U. or LAC.</p>
<p>Despite your dreamy-eyed description, yes, I would expect that top-ranked universities have more top scholars and scientists on their faculties compared to lower-ranked universities. Of course, if we want to use that as the criterion, then we can do away with the various attempts at undergraduate rankings and just use the graduate rankings.</p>
<p>I would rather be taught linguistics from Chomsky or economics from Larry Summers even if I had to sit in with another 300 students.</p>
<p>But if you really want to go beyond the basics and truly understand advanced concepts nothing beats learning from the very best in the field.</p>
<p>Sure, who wouldnt want to be taught by a leading person in his or her field, but regardless of whether he or she is the best in a field, Id rather be taught by an excellent teacher.
In the case of Summers, I understand that hes actually a good teacher.
[Harvard</a> Students: Read This Before You Register for Larry Summers’s Class! | VF Daily | Vanity Fair](<a href=“http://www.vanityfair.com/online/daily/2010/09/harvard-students-read-this-before-you-register-for-larry-summerss-class.html]Harvard”>Harvard Students: Read This Before You Register for Larry Summers’s Class! | Vanity Fair)
[A</a> Worldly Professor | Harvard Magazine May-Jun 2001](<a href=“http://harvardmagazine.com/2001/05/a-worldly-professor.html]A”>http://harvardmagazine.com/2001/05/a-worldly-professor.html)
I just hope his course syllabi include a statement disclosing his conflicts of interest.
[Larry</a> Summers and the Subversion of Economics - The Chronicle Review - The Chronicle of Higher Education](<a href=“http://chronicle.com/article/Larry-Summersthe/124790/]Larry”>http://chronicle.com/article/Larry-Summersthe/124790/)</p>
<p>There are excellent teachers at many places, not just at the top-ranked universities.
[U.S</a> Professor of the Year Awards - Home](<a href=“http://www.usprofessorsoftheyear.org/]U.S”>http://www.usprofessorsoftheyear.org/)</p>
<p>There also is some less than optimal teaching that occurs at top-ranked universities. At Harvard, for example, it is well-known that former Presidents Derek Bok and Larry Summers saw teaching quality as an area in need of significant improvement. I understand that steps were to taken to improve the undergraduate experience, but to paint a picture that there is excellent teaching across the broad is simply not consistent with the facts. </p>
<p>[BW</a> Online | February 18, 2002 | Harvard](<a href=“Bloomberg - Are you a robot?”>Bloomberg - Are you a robot?)
[What</a> Harvard Taught Larry Summers - TIME](<a href=“http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1167762,00.html]What”>http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1167762,00.html)
[Larry</a> Summers’s Views on Harvard - Grasping Reality with Both Hands](<a href=“Grasping Reality on TypePad, by Brad DeLong”>Larry Summers's Views on Harvard)
[Derek</a> Bok: Fixing undergrad education - US News and World Report](<a href=“http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/060306/6qa.htm]Derek”>http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/060306/6qa.htm)
[Harvard's</a> Gatekeeper | The Harvard Crimson](<a href=“http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2006/11/17/harvards-gatekeeper-what-does-it-take/]Harvard’s”>Harvard's Gatekeeper | Opinion | The Harvard Crimson)
<a href=“Harvard Task Force Calls for New Focus on Teaching and Not Just Research - The New York Times”>Harvard Task Force Calls for New Focus on Teaching and Not Just Research - The New York Times;
<p>Despite the efforts to improve teaching at top-ranked universities, e.g., establishing teaching awards [U.S</a> Professor of the Year Awards - Home](<a href=“http://www.usprofessorsoftheyear.org/]U.S”>http://www.usprofessorsoftheyear.org/), the fact is that teaching quality is a mixed bag, even at the top-ranked universities.</p>