Rank the SEC schools from an academic standpoint

College Search & Selection
101

<p>No need to get in an argument over a ■■■■■ post.</p>

102

<p>Bama accepted 60% of applicants last year. That’s hardly accepting anyone with a pulse. There are many fine schools that accept a higher percentage than that.</p>

<p>And Bama has great looking kids…the girls have A+ looks and the boys have A looks according to that campus book what rates campuses for various things.</p>

<p>I know that H drools over the pretty girls whenever he’s on Bama’s campus…and he went to Purdue and Iowa for undergrad and grad.</p>

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<p>LOL. In much of the Big Ten it would be considered politically incorrect to drool over a pretty girl. Except perhaps in the privacy of her bedroom or yours, and then only with her clear (and unimpaired) consent.</p>

104

<p>H of a mom with 2 college kids drooling over 17-20-yo students on campus…kinda funny but creepy…</p>

105

<p>For girls, the Pac-10 might make a case for having the best with Arizona State, USC, etc…</p>

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<p>YES!!! LOL My thoughts exactly!!! Note to self…leave H at home for any future Bama visits! ;)</p>

<p>P.S…
I am curious to see how many kids apply to Bama this year since the numbers have been quickly climbing the last 6 years. If the rate continues, Bama will have to reject a higher number - maybe as many as 50%.</p>

107

<p>I’m interested to see how Clemson approaches its admissions policy. Last year they accepted too many people because they thought kids weren’t going to come because of the recession and we ended up with an overflow housing situation. Since more people will probably apply this year, it will be interesting what the acceptance rate will be this year.</p>

108

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<p>With the common app, many schools are receiving more applicants thus lowering their acceptance rate without improving their school. In Alabama’s case, the application is so simple, I’m sure many apply because it requires so little effort. No recommendations, no essay, etc. Attracting students with merit money has certainly helped as well. </p>

<p>Alabama has gone from 10,707 applications received in 2006-2007 to 18,500 applications in 2008 - 2009. Certainly that 73 percent increase did not come because the school has improved as much as their football team has. That’s not to dump on Alabama, certainly students wanting to go there (or at least thinking they might) is a good thing.</p>

<p>Pierre0913, hope things are going well for you at Clemson.</p>

109

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<p>There was an article about a month ago that dealt with this problem that happened all over the country. Colleges expected a greater number of students “not to come,” so they were unprepared when these huge numbers showed up! LOL One college had to reopen some old dorm (yuck! LOL) and some had to shove extra beds into double rooms.</p>

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<p>Alabama has gone from 10,707 applications received in 2006-2007 to 18,500 applications in 2008 - 2009. Certainly that 73 percent increase did not come because the school has improved as much as their football team has.
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<p>Absolutely! But, my point was that Alabama doesn’t “accept anyone with a pulse” like a previous poster stated. It received over 18,500 apps but only accepted 60%. </p>

<p>Yes, with the great merit offers, the school’s application numbers are growing…allowing the selection of better students, while rejecting others.</p>

<p>As for improvements. You’re wrong to assume that UA has not improved its school very much. UA is in the midst of a multi-year master plan to make it a top choice for many students. </p>

<p>UA is also one of the few state schools that hasn’t experienced devastating budget cuts. (UA’s budget cuts only caused some minor reduction in some relandscaping - no big deal.) UA continues to hire profs - from the best schools - the Ivies, Duke, Emory, Vandy, UCLA, Stanford, UMich, etc. Those hires have to further strengthen the school. </p>

<p>The newly built Shelby Building and Engineering and Science Complex (mega complex) certainly strengthens the school. It is truly amazing, and recently won a national award. [University</a> of Alabama News Design for UA Science and Engineering Complex Takes National Award](<a href=“http://uanews.ua.edu/2009/06/design-for-ua-science-and-engineering-complex-takes-national-award/]University”>http://uanews.ua.edu/2009/06/design-for-ua-science-and-engineering-complex-takes-national-award/) Phase 3 of the complex commenced this fall. When it’s completely done the complex will be one of the largest in the US. Here’s an aerial view of the completed Phase 1 and newly completed Phase 2 (Phase 1 is shaped like the Pentagon.) [News</a> from the College | College of Arts and Sciences](<a href=“http://web.as.ua.edu/home/news/2009/mailnews/october/webmail.php]News”>http://web.as.ua.edu/home/news/2009/mailnews/october/webmail.php)</p>

<p>Once again UA led the nation… <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-alabama/793372-ua-once-again-leads-nation-five-students-named-usa-today-s-2009-all-usa-c.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-alabama/793372-ua-once-again-leads-nation-five-students-named-usa-today-s-2009-all-usa-c.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Hiring Nick Saban to bring the football team back to national prominence was part of the University President’s plan to bring UA up in overall national opinion. Football isn’t part of the academic goals, but it certainly was part of the overall plan for making UA a top pick more students. :)</p>

<p>So, the Crimson Tide isn’t the only thing experiencing improvements in T-town. :)</p>

110

<p>haha sports is also in the plans for Clemson University except as I know the history of Clemson sports, I doubt that sports will ever significantly help (I hope I am wrong though!)</p>

<p>One of the 27 goals Clemson has set for 2011:
-While maintaining full compliance, achieve notable recognition with another national football championship, two championships in Olympic sports and two Final Four appearances in basketball.
([Clemson</a> University : About Clemson : 2011 Goals](<a href=“http://www.clemson.edu/about/2011.html]Clemson”>http://www.clemson.edu/about/2011.html))</p>

111

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<p>And yet US News ranks Florida tied with Georgia for undergrad business, tied at 25.</p>

112

<p>1.Vanderbilt
2.Florida
3.Georgia
4.Auburn
5.Tennessee
6.Alabama
7.LSU
8. South Carolina
9.Ole Miss
10.Kentucky
11.Arkansas
12.Miss. State</p>

<p>With the exception of Vanderbilt and maybe Georgia and Florida below that, all of these schools are really neck and neck with each other. If you incorporate the higher levels of the honors college at Alabama (Computer Based and Fellows) I’d put them right below Georgia, but since I’m doing overall undergrad rankings I think they deserve the #6 spot(speaking as a Bama student). I honestly just put South Carolina and Kentucky in random spots because I have no knowledge about them, haha.</p>

113

<p>1.Vanderbilt
2.Florida
3.Georgia
4.Alabama
5.Tennessee
6.South Carolina
7.LSU
8. Kentucky
9. Auburn
10. Ole Miss
11.Arkansas
12.Miss. State</p>

<p>JMO</p>

114

<p>Earlier, I had posted this ranking: </p>

<p>SEC

  1. Vanderbilt
  2. Alabama
  3. Mississippi
  4. Arkansas
  5. Georgia
  6. Florida
  7. South Carolina
  8. Tennessee
  9. Kentucky
  10. Louisiana State
  11. Auburn
  12. Mississippi State</p>

<p>I would like to amend it to this new ranking:</p>

<p>SEC

  1. Vanderbilt
  2. (tie) Alabama
  3. (tie) Mississippi
  4. Georgia
  5. (tie) Arkansas
  6. (tie) Florida
  7. (tie) South Carolina
  8. (tie) Tennessee
  9. (tie) Kentucky
  10. Auburn
  11. Louisiana State
  12. Mississippi State</p>
115

<p>just to clarify, Vanderbilt is far and beyond #1 I believe the rest of the schools (at least 2-10) are very close to each other and could be reordered any way and I could agree with it.</p>

116

<p>Dude, Ole Miss over UGA and UF???</p>

117

<p>The honors program at Ole Miss is amazing, one of the best in the country and they have an amazing International Studies institute (if you don’t remember, one of the presidential debates was held at Ole Miss probably because of this). They also have solid programs in many fields. I think Ole Miss is definitely improving, I may have overrated it but I think it belongs up there with the top SEC schools.</p>

118

<p>Ah Pierre…I knew I always liked you. :)</p>

<p>(altho I think I’d put Miss St over LSU)</p>

119

<p>I get applicants and work with colleagues from almost all of these schools. These are the rankings in terms of intelligence, ability, and preparedness (basically overall quality):</p>

<ol>
<li>Vanderbilt</li>
<li>Florida</li>
<li>Georgia</li>
<li>South Carolina</li>
<li>Alabama</li>
<li>Auburn</li>
<li>Tennessee</li>
<li>Kentucky</li>
<li>Mississippi</li>
<li>Arkansas</li>
<li>LSU</li>
<li>Mississippi State</li>
</ol>

<p>All Vandy grads seems to be amazing. UF sends out a lot of well-balanced, well-prepared kids; most are consistently good, but not spectacular. Georgia and South Carolina grads are identical to me. Everyone I meet from UGA is originally from Marietta, Alpharetta, or Buckhead, so the quality is there from the start. South Carolina surprised me in that all of the grads I meet are from the Greenville, Atlanta, Charlotte, DC, or NYC metropolitan areas and seem to be very intelligent and motivated (more so than other new hires). </p>

<p>We do not really consider the rest of the SEC schools for recruiting, as they do not produce enough strong graduates to make it worth our time. We will occasionally get a stellar applicant from one of those school, but rarely. Based on the large number of alumni I have encountered, I would put the schools in four groups:</p>

<p>Vanderbilt
UF, UGA, USC
Alabama, Auburn, Tennessee, Kentucky
Ole Miss, Arkansas, LSU, Mississippi State</p>

120

<p>What kind of company do your work for (finance, investment banking, engineering, etc)?</p>