<p>^One of the reasons to take rankings with a grain of salt. A low graduation rate should indicate a possible problem. You point out how it may not be an actual problem in this case.</p>
<p>The four year graduation rate too heavily favors the well-endowed (not Texas-style 
) privates that consist of mostly traditional-aged college students who are strictly screened for admittance (don’t need any remedial Math or English). </p>
<p>Unfortunately, the prospective parent/student wrongly sees graduation rate as insight into how hard it is to get needed classes.</p>
<p>Regarding the “Graduation Rate” statistic… Couldn’t one conclude that a high graduation rate means that the school is not very academically challenging?</p>
<p>Also, look at the Freshman retention rate… 98% for the top schools; similarly 94% for our local highly ranked Georgia Tech at #36. Anecdotally speaking as a long time Atlanta resident, Georgia Tech seems to “flunk out” quite a few freshman every year. I have a hard time believing they retain 94% of the freshman.</p>
<p>Perhaps that rate is based on freshman who return excluding those who were “asked not to return”?</p>
<p>So the Ivy’s, MIT, etc are not academically challenging? Not the case as they only accept those that are going to make it in 4 years. Self-fulfilling propecies and all.</p>
<p>No matter how they rank them somebody is going to be unhappy.</p>
<p>Why would a change of major lead to students not graduating in time? The vast majority of students at all schools( including those which award far less AP credit than Bama) change their majors, yet that doesn’t seem to affect their four year grad rate.</p>
<p>^^^WAPacker
That the Ivy’s are not challenging is not at all what I meant… it was just to question that statistic of retention rate. Of course the Ivy’s high standards in admission would help yield a high retention rate, makes sense.</p>
<p>This all reminds me of that famous quote: “Lies, damned lies, and statistics”</p>
<p>Regardless, I still have my doubts about this statistic (that’s just my opinion). It would be interesting to see how the schools calculate it.</p>
<p>^ I know that is not what you meant. It is difficult to make any blanket statement about the graduation rate. I see it as being a flag that means we have to inquire about it to see what the reasons are.</p>
<p>Hopefully all of the schools are calculating them the same way. If not you can pretty much throw the entire ranking thing out the window.</p>
<p>*Why would a change of major lead to students not graduating in time? *</p>
<p>Well, frequently, the major change is so extreme that some of the prereqs (100/200 level classes) from the “old major” no longer apply, and add’l 100/200 level classes must be taken.</p>
<p>You’re right that those students who come in with lots of AP credits do have more flexibility. But, many students have few or no AP credits. Some kids take AP classes, but never take the exams.</p>
<p>At schools that tightly limit aid to four years, there’s a huge incentive NOT to change your major if you can’t do so and still graduate in four years. At schools where students aren’t bound by those limitations, changing majors or adding other majors/minors which add on more semesters isn’t such a big deal.</p>
<p>mom2ck, Are you saying that students are more likely to change majors at UA than some other publics with better graduation rates? I am a bit confused on that one.</p>
<p>^^</p>
<p>No. I was answering When’s question about why changing majors (anywhere) can delay graduation.</p>
<p>That said, any public that is located in an area where a good number of students can commute to school, is going to suffer some “graduation rate hits”. There are a good number of Ttown residents attending Bama since there are only 2 univ in the metropolitan area…Bama and Stillman (private)</p>
<p>Got it.
Yes changing majors can be a big setback. Engineering to political science or vice versa is going to be a big hit. Mechanical to civil engineering not so much so.</p>
<p>This is one of the best analysis of the rankings I have read.</p>
<p>[What</a> College Rankings Really Tell Us : The New Yorker](<a href=“The Trouble with College Rankings | The New Yorker”>The Trouble with College Rankings | The New Yorker)</p>
<p>Page 5 is of special interest to Bama fans.</p>
<p>[Why</a> U.S. News’ college rankings hurt students - CBS News](<a href=“http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505145_162-57602138/why-u.s-news-college-rankings-hurt-students/]Why”>http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505145_162-57602138/why-u.s-news-college-rankings-hurt-students/)</p>
<p>[Are</a> College Rankings Still Relevant in the Decision-Making Process? | Fox Business](<a href=“http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2013/09/10/how-much-do-college-rankings-matter/?test=latestnews]Are”>http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2013/09/10/how-much-do-college-rankings-matter/?test=latestnews)</p>