I agree that USNWR rankings are pretty silly when it comes to engineering and I suspect a lot of other categories. What I would focus on also is how opportunities offered at each school might align with career goals of the student? I understand that having excellent and externally funded research is great but what if the student has no interest in pursuing a higher ed? What if the student wants a great undergrad experience instead and challenging classes that might prepare him/her for immediate impact in the workplace? I already talked about social and financial fits.
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