<p>That’s all true, but it’s also really indirect. Talk about trickle-down effects. I think most qualitative descriptions of the school would convey what is important just as effectively. Look at interviews with undergrads, with admissions officers, read the student newspaper. </p>
<p>Moreover, those faculty salaries don’t appear to adjust for cost of living, and there’s a world of difference between the cost of living in Chicago and the cost of living in, say, Durham, NC. </p>
<p>It’s all good - I love libraries myself and donate to my alma mater’s library fund annually. But when deciding between undergraduate schools, there are, IMO, many more important factors.</p>