<p>I agree. Different students have different goals, priorities, and talents. Different colleges will fit some students better than others. To the extent they can predict, students should try to find colleges that match their goals, priorities, and talents. </p>
<p>There are likely more varied experiences at larger colleges than smaller ones. This depends to an extent on the nature of the college. For example, with its heavy math/science/engineering focus, the MIT experience may be more homogeneous, at least academically, than that at many smaller LAC’s.</p>
<p>The pre grad approach may be very well suited for graduate study in some fields. This would make such a college “better” for a student who A. Likes that kind of education (not everyone does) or B. Plans to go to get a PhD (most people don’t, even at the elite colleges). For someone who does not like that kind of education, or does not want a research career, it may be not nearly as valuable.</p>
<p>I don’t think one can come up with ANY single measure that describes the “academic quality” of a college. The phrase assumes the quality is unidimensional. There are too many variables. The PhD production figures are interesting because they focus on purely academic outcomes. But the narrowness of the measure limits it usefulness across the board. The same problem would apply with looking at the total advanced degree attainment of a student body. Not everyone wants one. Colleges can push this figure higher by selectively enrolling students who do want such degrees, and they do favor those who can afford to stay out of the workforce.</p>
<p>Since it is based on outcomes, rather than inputs, it is probably a better indicator of academic activity at the college than are SAT scores or class rank. Since PhD’s and professional degrees are largely exclusive-few people get both, looking at PhD’s without prof degrees might generate a distorted picture. </p>
<p>The PhD rates are illuminating because people tend to assume that fame, prestige, and endowment largely define the “top” colleges. The PhD rates show that very good education is taking place at colleges that lack some of these characteristics. I suspect that is why some people get so heated when disputing them.</p>