<p>slipper, you are very much correct. NYU is more known for its quality vocational schools, rather than its general liberal arts core.</p>
<p>Yup, exactly. NYU film, business, theater, whatever is usually top notch but the general college is not even in the same league as Georgetown.</p>
<p>ok.. since everyone in this thread is so defensive with their personally- opinionated rankings and all those good stuff, i think its best if you guys try to defend your stand. you know, provide some evidence as to why (blank) university is better than (blank) university. i know all of you have logical reasons but, to prevent dispute, lets provide evidence. so again, im inviting all of the smart folks who have given their insights to give evidence as to why you think this or that. thanks much.</p>
<p>slipper,</p>
<p>I already graduated from my "state school." So for me, ranking graduate departments is important because all I care about is the quality of the department. </p>
<p>knix,</p>
<p>I base my rankings, for whatever their worth, on a few factors:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Placements of graduates- and I mean PhD students. Since the goal of the majority of PhD students is still academia, I place a large weight on placements. For example, while USNews ranks UCLA higher than NYU Stern, I think that NYU far outperforms UCLA in placements. This matters.</p></li>
<li><p>Peer assessment- Admittedly, this is not a very "quantifiable" variable, but I think it matters. I've asked professors at a fair number of schools which programs are good (this was when I was PhD track.) I got the same consistent list.</p></li>
<li><p>Published works- Publish or perish.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>
[quote]
Yup, exactly. NYU film, business, theater, whatever is usually top notch but the general college is not even in the same league as Georgetown.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Again, this is untrue when considering the quality of the poli sci department. NYU Stern is almost certainly a stronger department than GTown's.</p>
<p>I noticed you said publishing is important, when do students normally start doing this?</p>
<p>Undergrads? Never. Graduates? Maybe. Faculty? Hopefully constantly.</p>
<p>Publishing is important, because it shows that the department is productive. If you're interested in poli sci as a field, and not just as a stepping stone to law school, then it's important to consider the quality of the actual political science you're learning.</p>
<p>I understand that many undergrads don't see why this matters. But, as I now get ready to start graduate school, I see why having studied with cutting edge political scientists will help me.</p>
<p>Apparently with the ways things are now, you will not get your Ph.D unless it is published, or tenure if you do not publish on a regular basis.</p>
<p>Right, but you also want to look at the quality of journals the works are published to, the number of full professors publishing regularly, and the impact of the publications themselves.</p>
<p>These are the little "behind the scenes" things that affect a department.</p>
<p>My career goal is to become a history professor at a research university, So I'd imagine it is nearly the same for poli sci as it is for history.</p>
<p>Yes, it's largely similar. I'm not as knowledgeable on history departments, but the heavyweights are largely the same as far as I know. </p>
<p>And you're as crazy as I am for wanting to go into academics. Don't you know it's evil? Flee, I tell you! Flee!</p>
<p>NYU-Stern is a business school.</p>
<p>Sorry, I meant NYU- Wilf. That was my mistake.</p>
<p>Yes I have heard horror stories about grad school, from advisors tearing your writing apart to students not getting their degrees because of departmental politics. Yet this is something I really want to do, I do not care how difficult it is.</p>
<p>Those stories are nothing compared to the nightmare that is getting a job in academia. The market is so oversaturated that it's almost cruel to admit so many PhD students a year.</p>