<p>so what is this talk about tulanes ranking being so low because of katrina? I see the 6-year graduation rates coming into the rankings for next year, so tulanes ranking will rise I assume? But then I read somewhere the fallenchemist saying that this 6-year graduation problem will not go away for another 3-4 years...??</p>
<p>I did a recent study on the USNSWR, and here’s their scoring system: (out of 100%)</p>
<p>6 year graduation rate: 16%
peer assessment: 15%
Financial Resources: 10%
High School Councilor evaluation: 7.5%
Student SAT Score: 7.5%
Graduation rate performance: 7.5%
Faculty income: 7%
class w/ 20 or under: 6%
student High school ranking: 6%
Alumni giving rate: 5%
Freshman retention: 4%
Professor w/ highest degree in field: 3%
class w/ 50 or up: 2%
ACCEPTANCE RATE: 1.5%
Student faculty ratio: 1%
Full time faculty ratio: 1%</p>
<p>This is all they use. So, the 7.5% graduation rate performance won’t be up until probably in 1-2 years, but the 16% 6 year graduation rate should be fine by next year, unless the students Tulane got 6 years ago aren’t all that great… Haha.</p>
<p>But remember as many has said in many other threads, ranking seriously doesn’t matter AT ALL!!! When u see what they factor in as above, u’ll most definitely think it’s a joke! :)</p>
<p>They average the graduation rates of the last 4 years, so even though the upcoming year will be the 6 year anniversary, it will still be in the equation for another 3 years after. And don’t forget that some students that started before Katrina, that were sophs and juniors when Katrina hit, left also so the graduation rates for the last two years have been depressed as well. Hence the falling ranking. However, after this year it becomes less of a factor each year as the post-post-post Katrina class graduation rates kick in, until it disappears altogether.</p>
<p>
So, does this comment apply to the 2012 Rankings coming out in a few months or the 2013 Rankings coming out next year?</p>
<p>2013 unfortunately. If I have my numbers right.</p>
<p>Meh, it doesn’t matter.</p>
<p>Yes, somehow, by some miracle (heavy sarcasm there) Tulane has thrived despite USNWR idiocy. Can you imagine making no adjustment for schools that have been through the worst disaster in US history? Especially for something like graduation rate, which even if you believed was correlated to quality (which I think is a tenuous premise at best) certainly wouldn’t apply in this circumstance. Unbelievable.</p>
<p>Such is life. </p>
<p>It’s sad that a lot of people heavily weight those rankings, but Tulane’s 175+ year old history of being an renown, celebrated American research university, one of the top 5 in the deep south imo, isn’t going to be hindered all that much by three or four or five years at #50 or #51, especially since Tulane’ll be back up there soon enough.</p>
<p>I know a lot of koreans at my prep school put a lot of weight into ranking and name</p>
<p>Yes, certain groups especially do, since they have little else to go on. That is where the ranking system perhaps does the greatest disservice. But there are also Americans, both native born and immigrant families, that also put a lot of credence in the USNWR rankings. It’s a shame, but in the end it is also an infinite and ultimately useless argument. One can only explain the flaws, hope they understand, and move on.</p>
<p>What I do know is that before I came to US, all I knew about American colleges was based on the ranking. And I do expect all my friends in China still base their decision on the USNEWS Ranking! It’s very sad that it’s the only piece of info they have. And it makes them think that a ranked no. 7 Duke is 100 times better than ranked no. 51 Tulane, whereas in my case Tulane gives me way more opportunities. They don’t seem to understand my reasoning, since all they base their judgement on is the ranking… I’m considered an idiot by my school back in China, since I turned down a top 10 school (Duke) for Tulane… oh well… haha</p>
<p>what were the opportunities that Tulane gave you and duke did not?</p>
<p>The chance to live in New Orleans, for one! LOL, OK that is not the real answer, but of course he will tell you his reasons. I just wanted to emphasize there is no comparison between Durham (kind of a pit) and New Orleans, although Duke is a great school absolutely.</p>
<p>thegreentea68, well… haha, I had a whole multiple page thread about this a little while ago. But here’s my reasoning:
What first got my attention about Tulane was that it offers the Creative Premedical Scholar program. As an international student, it gives me well over 50% chance of getting into med school, comparing with anywhere else including Duke’s under 5% for internationals. Med School is my ultimate goal, and Tulane makes it a lot closer to me.
After the program got me interested in the School, which was only a backup and I applied as the first practice application, I turned to this forum. After Fallenchemist and many others description about Tulane and New Orleans, I felt more and more interested. Eventually I went to visit the school last week, and I knew I wanted to go there the day I was there. Paid the deposit right there on campus, at the admissions office front desk’s computer! 
What I realized about Tulane that’s truly amazing is the happiness of students and the relaxed atmosphere also with the amazing academics. It’s the highest level research university of the nation, but it also provides the attention to individual students like Liberal Arts College. All professors are required to teach undergrad classes, so it means that there’s a lot more communication between students and professors, also a lot more research opportunities. The admissions counselors, advisors are extremely helpful, something I’ve never experienced anywhere else. The student body is also so sacrificed with the school, everybody thinks Tulane was a great choice for them.
And then it comes New Orleans! I was only there for 3 days, but I felt there’s always so much to do around the city. I would really enjoy the experience there for the next 4 years.
I was wondering whether I would regret by turning down Duke if I don’t get into the program by the end of sophomore year, but after the visit my doubt disappeared. I know that Tulane would be as good as Duke if not better for me in some way!
Hope that explains myself and my decision well! :)</p>
<p>Got it - I’ll be in your class next year btw. Not sure what my major is going to be yet. What are your preferences for dorms next year? BTW my grandfather was in the premed program at Tulane a while back - still working today too.</p>
<p>I enjoy reading this thread…take that USNWR!!</p>
<p>ANUMPA- Haha! Glad you enjoyed it! Welcome to Tulane Forum! lol</p>
<p>We’re still #51…</p>
<p>greentea: I can see we need a USNWR detox center. LOL. ARBITRARY. You have to really tell yourself that. Completely arbitrary. What if, instead of weighting graduation rates so heavily, they had made test scores 25% and graduation rates like 5%? The rankings would be totally different. And one could make just as valid an argument for that as for the way they do it. Get over it, the USNWR rankings are a poison you must avoid.</p>
<p>I construed her post to mean the following: “we’re still the ‘51st’ best university in the country so it’s not that big of a big deal.”</p>