http://www.nature.com/news/a-case-for-a-university-happiness-ranking-1.16730
A structural biologist proposes a ‘happiness index’ on which to rank universities.
Discussion questions:
Is such a ranking system practical?
Will a quality-of-life metric significantly improve rating systems?
Do the current ranking metrics adequately predict career/academic success?
That article is about happiness of the college employees:
That’s not entirely relevant for students, and not much at all for undergrad students.
No, but you must recognize the potential for an entirely new kind of thread;
“Please tell me what classes I have to take in HS to get into the right college for Graduate School so I can get a job at an institute with the highest happiness ranking”
I don’t take much stock in these studies, which, subjective as they are, can be influenced by a number of biases. However, I was highly amused a few years ago when Rutgers was voted for unhappiest undergrads in the nation. (I dont go there.)
The Princeton Review runs such a ranking, but I am skeptical of their processes because the “happiest schools” seem to change almost every year. (http://www.princetonreview.com/how-we-do-it.aspx) Also, I think it is very difficult to ascertain happiness with one or two questions on a survey, it’s subjective. I doubt students will use these happiness ratings the same way most students use “prestige.” Google seems to have very happy employees btw, but I am sure there are several small businesses out there that people are happy, but not well known to the public