I’ve been accepted to Brandeis but am warry about its declining rankings. It has dropped from 30 or so on USNews to 42 in the past few years. Is this something to be worried about? I know it was at once an incredibly prestigious college, but has it really faded that much since then? Is it possible Brandeis will make a comeback? I would appreciate any opinion.
No. Rank is not relevant to picking the right college and 30s to 42 is not significant.
Brandeis is a great name and will continue to be.
If it’s the right school for you, then you should attend with no hesitation.
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The rankings are ridiculous. Ignore them. US News is especially egregious in what they do. They change their formula every few years just so they can shake up the rankings. This is done for the purpose of selling magazines and to keep people tuning in. Yet it leaves the impression that schools have slipped when this is not at all true.
Brandeis is an excellent college. What makes it especially attractive is that has only 3500 undergraduate students while still being a research university. More than half the classes have fewer than 20 students. 2/3 have fewer than 30 students. With a student:faculty ratio of 10:1, Brandeis offers an undergraduate experience similar to an SLAC but with the resources of a research university . Best of both worlds.
As an added bonus, Brandeis students can cross register at 7 other Boston area colleges. Especially attractive is cross registration at Bentley because it is close by and because it’s extensive Business options supplement the more limited Business offerings at Brandeis.
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You should change your username to something that doesn’t identify you.
Brandeis is a great school; it most certainly is not in need of making a “comeback”, since it’s still a prestigious LAC with many very strong departments. If it’s the right match for you, go. Don’t even think about its ranking. USNWR’s rankings don’t mean much, when you’re talking about schools that are within 20 ranking positions of each other. Plus USNWR uses certain factors for ranking that may be irrelevant for you, such as the proportion of Pell Grant recipients who manage to earn a degree.
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If considering U.S. News positions, it might be helpful to consider them by overall score. Brandeis reached its historical rankings high in its category in 1998 at 28th. In the current edition of USN, the 28th-ranked schools have an overall score of 78 (on a 100 point scale). Brandeis now ranks 42nd with an overall score of 73. Stated differently, Brandeis appears to have placed within about a 5 point score range since it has been ranked in USN.
Brandeis is an outstanding college. Congratulations on your acceptance. I would not worry about rankings. If Brandeis is affordable and a good fit then go for it. I know recent graduates who were very happy there.
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I have a kid (rising senior) at Brandeis. Prepare for a rigorous education surrounded by inclusive, engaging peers and tons of opportunity to do research, join or start clubs, connect to professors, and engage fully in your college experience. You’ll be there before you know it…hopefully you are making connections with your fellow first years and getting excited about your courses.
Closing thread since OP would have made a choice by May