<p>Can someone please explain the college tier ranking? I understand that HYPS etc. are "1st tier" - but can someone post examples of 2nd, 3rd, 4th tier schools?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>The first 120 schools are given a numerical ranking. After that the colleges are just lumped together and called Tier 2, etc.</p>
<p>Why not just buy the online rankings?</p>
<p>ArkansasMom, the tiers are based on the US News ranking. If you go to <a href="http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/college/rankings/rankindex_brief.php%5B/url%5D">http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/college/rankings/rankindex_brief.php</a> and search for a school under "EZ finder," it tells you what tier it's in. For example, it says the University of Wyoming is 3rd tier.</p>
<p>warblersrule86, thank you for the link. I have checked out the US News info before, but failed to see that the tier rank was listed. Thanks!</p>
<p>ArkansasMom, remember, the rankings are definitely subjective. Sometimes schools "game" the system to rise; other schools (like Reed) do not cooperate so they lose rank.</p>
<p>Finally, schools in less desireable locations tend to have fewer applicants-- so they're ranked lower, even when the caliber is just as good or better than higher-ranked schools.</p>
<p>I would have to completely agree with SBmom's word of caution</p>
<p>Reed College President recently wrote a piece as to why the school pulled out, mainly because of three reasons (1. it favors superficial reputations such as wealth and prestige) (2. because it is a one-size-fits-all survey that they give out, so that individual schools' strengths are marginalized because of other factors, namely admittance rates) and (3. because the ranking system is a powerful incentive for colleges to cheat, to skew their data and institutional behavior so that the school appears to be better than it is in certain categories).</p>
<p>The surveys given out, which are what the US News and World Report's rankings use to rank schools, are given to the presidents of schools, and it is based on their views, perceived reputations, rumours, and thoughts about the other colleges (not based on fact). The presidents filling out the survey might not have even visited the campuses s/he is ranking, but that is not taken into account.</p>
<p>needless to say, not a fan of those rankings. They merely reflect prestige and reputation, nothing rooted in anything useful.</p>
<p>1) I believe Reed hasnt dropped out...its still in the rankings but it has refused to cooperate</p>
<p>2) One size fits all is partially true. USNews does attempt to divide up schools like LACs National Universities Master-Focus and Comprehensive. The biggest disparities are between National Universities and this is where the publics get shafted (the publics get shafted in almost every category except peer assesment in where i think their scores are inflated). Its hard for schools like Berkeley to compete with much smaller schools like Harvard and Yale with much more money.</p>