<p>Just looking up at Uc rankings and was wondering… How is a UC more prestigious than the others? </p>
<p>What determines it? </p>
<p>For example UC Riverside is older than UC Santa Cruz and Irvine, by at least a decade and yet UC Santa Cruz and UC Irvine surpassed it. </p>
<p>So yeah I just wanted to know how they determine this, and why UC Riverside, even though they’re older, is not on par with those UCs.</p>
<p>UCSC and UCI have attracted more qualified students, bringing with them better classes and professors that want to teach to better students. It’s like a cycle. As far as I can tell, it seems like Riverside’s location is what is holding it back.</p>
<p>Entrance difficulty, reputation and how much their alumni contribute to academia.</p>
<p>25% of the ranking is Peer Assessment, which means Research, typically in the sciences.</p>
<p>What is peer assessment? do the staff there assess themselves? Then isnt it very easy to rise in rankings?</p>
<p>I think Merced, Riverside, Santa Cruz and Davis are effected by location. I personally go to Davis, and everytime I tell someone that they think of “farmland”. I actually think the area around Davis is quite relaxing. Well of course I’ve never been on the grassy hills, but when driving by I always enjoy the view of… nature? Grassy hills and animals, I find it quite nice. But thats because I’m a San Francisco boy and never really see places like these :o</p>
<p>^But there are no hills in Davis… anyway your point is still there. When I was telling people I was considering UCSD almost every single person there said “oooooooooooh, go there the weather is sooooooooooo nice”. Most of these people had never been to San Diego before and only a select few to UCSD. How would they have any idea what the place is really like? Why do they assume good weather equals 4 years of an enjoyable and productive college experience? And most of them end up saying “so, did you decide to go to San Diego State?”</p>
<p>UCR is older than UCSD as well.</p>
<p>I am assuming you are looking at the U.S. News ranking. There is a lengthy document that explains the methodology behind the ranking at [How</a> We Calculate the College Rankings - US News and World Report](<a href=“http://www.usnews.com/articles/education/best-colleges/2009/08/19/how-we-calculate-the-college-rankings.html]How”>http://www.usnews.com/articles/education/best-colleges/2009/08/19/how-we-calculate-the-college-rankings.html)</p>
<p>The ranking is fairly arbitrary and not an absolute scale. It’s something that was invented to “guide” students in selecting colleges.</p>
<p>im guessing US news determines rank by quality of professors and number of nobel prizes.</p>
<p>UCR has a ----y location. Therefore noone wants to go there. This means fewer applicants which in turn means that they have to choose lesser qualified individuals.</p>
<p>every other UC at least has SOMETHING going for it location-wise. UCB is in a nifty little town, UCLA is in a great part of socal as is UCI, UCSD is in a nice area by the beach, UCSB has the beach and parties… so does UCSC. UCM… ehh no clue, it’s like the lowest UC right now since it’s so new. DOn’t know much about Davis other than that there are a lot of bicycles.</p>
<p>UCD has a nice college town atmosphere. Location between Bay area and Sierras gives variety of travel options for short trips. Campus area is flat but there are hills with oaks 15 minutes to the west. You can see the mountains on both sides of the valley on clear days. We live 15 mins from campus and have coyotes, owls, a creek with beavers, ducks, otters…nice area if you like nature. Not as spectacular a setting as UCSB, but pleasant and relaxing.</p>