<p>at the Undergrad Level:</p>
<p>is the overall ranking/prestige more important than the individual rankings of the programs?</p>
<p>I always thought Overall is better for undergrad but for grad school is when u begin looking at individual program rankings.
- US NEWS ranks overall as it must be important while they dont rank overall grad schools. they rank individual programs. </p>
<p>any thoughts.. Im pretty certain the debate will be really polarized :P</p>
<p>interesting question, would like to know the answer too, bump</p>
<p>While most would say that your conception is true, I would say that there's an argument for undergrad rankings in individual departments. In many cases, such as biology or English, you really don't have to worry about the undergrad strength; you can bet the college will have a good department. Other departments, less so -- simply because some colleges have better course offerings, research, general opportunity in the discipline, etc. Linguistics is a good example.</p>
<p>The more mainstream and popular the major, the less the individual department matters.</p>
<p>Well, I can speak for BME at Hopkins, and that's the program all the way. On the other hand, we're talking the number one program.</p>
<p>Program rank matter in the few areas where you are learning a specific skill. Specifically, areas like accounting, computer science, studio art, music, and film. Overall rank matters if you want to go to grad school or if you are Ivy-level, get an elite job. Choosing a school based on the history dept rank for example would be a mistake. </p>
<p>An Ivy econ major has a significant advantage over even the number 5 business school when it comes to elite jobs for example.</p>
<p>Program rank for undergrad can be dangerous. For one, most people will change their major, meaning that someone may choose a school that offers little else.</p>
<p>I always suggest a holistic approach to undergrad, mostly because 18-22 is such a capricious time in your life.</p>
<p>It definitely depends on which major you are looking into and how set you are to sticking with it. You never know when you want to change majors.</p>
<p>Generic majors probably not; specialized majors - excluding top level schools that are well known such as Ivy League schools - the rank can matter.</p>