<p>So, what would be the goal? To somehow please USNWR and achieve a higher ranking? Honestly, who cares? Do you really think that by somehow rebranding Cornell it will mysteriously begin to be mentioned in the same breath as HYP? Maybe after 100 years and several generations of marketing efforts it might (though I doubt it), but the outstanding reputations of HYP are simply part of the American psyche. Americans who never had any intention of going to college know about HYP, and believe that they are "the best". Students applying to colleges are not going to be easily persuaded that HYP are anything but "the best". In fact, I would argue that at this point, HYP could let themselves slip, really let the quality of education offered slide, and it would take a really long time (if it ever happened at all) before anyone thought to change the HYP -- "the best" mentality. But, somehow, not everyone who goes to Cornell had it as a safety school. Many of us chose to go to Cornell. Sure, rip into me now and tell me that if I could have gone to HYP I would have -- but the reality is that that simply isn't true. I fell in love with Cornell the first time I visited despite what any rankings said. Am I really the only one?</p>
<p>When applying to Law School, for my MBA and for many jobs in business and law, I have never once been asked which college I attended at Cornell (other than from the one of the several Cornell grads I have met along the way who wanted to share stories about days past, rather than judge me by my college). It just doesn't happen. Graduate/professional schools and employers have always seemed incredibly impressed by Cornell education and have never indicated for even one second that they care to inquire further than that. So why should one or two colleges at Cornell be distinguished from the rest to the detriment of the other colleges. The reality is that average SAT scores are not everything, and almost no one in the world cares what your scores were after you get your degree. Some people specifically choose to go to AAP, CALS, ILR, etc. because of the majors offered in that particular school and some people specifically choose to go to a statutory college because of the costs. </p>
<p>So, again, what would be the goal?</p>