<p>"I think it’s generally perceived that tOSU clearly has advanced in quality in the last several years. However, it’s also generally perceived that size has an inverse relationship with the quality of the undergrad experience. </p>
<p>I agreed! Yet, most do not realize that as one of the largest higher learning institutions in America, TOSU is able to achieve and maintain an extremely desirable student:falcuty ratio of 12:1 even with incoming freshman class approximates at 6,600 students.</p>
<p>^^ No, he won’t!! FYI, he was the highest paid President in the nation (not just amongest the public schools) and way more at Vandy prior to coming to TOSU!! </p>
<p>“In 2007, The Chronicle has reported, Vanderbilt also had the highest-paid university chief in the nation - Gordon Gee, who forfeited about half of his $2 million compensation package when he left to become president of the Ohio State University.”</p>
<p>Anyway, just to put things in perspective, similar size universities such as ASU & CFU operate on a 23:1; 31:1 student:faculty ratio, respectively. The fact of the matter is that in order for TOSU to maintain its astonishing 12:1 student:faculty ratio, the school, despite the sagging economy had hired nearly 200 new faculties in last year alone.</p>
<p>“The first milestone I will note is that this year we have hired nearly 200 new faculty members, across all academic fields and ranks.”</p>
<p>Last but not least, if any of you thinks that for those top College Presidents in the country, their only major source of income comes from the school salary, then I must say that you are indeed naive… ;p</p>
<p>Very interesting thread. As a newbie, I am still kind of iffy about College Confidential in general (not this thread in particular) – too many food-fights, too much snark, too many naysayers, and waaaay too many know-it-alls, LOL. But I guess college preferences bring out our rawest passions, or something like that, LOL. As the Beach Boys famously put it, “Be true to your school like you would to your girl,” or words to that effect. </p>
<p>I know next to nothing about Tulane (although I lived in Louisiana for three years and knew people who went there). But I think fallenchemist et al. certainly make a strong statistical case for Tulane’s rise, and I guess I don’t understand why people would repeatedly try to tear down that case. What’s it to them? Don’t people have better things to do than nay-say? Non capisco!</p>
<p>Someone up above said, “CC does not constitute the normal world.” Ain’t that the truth! LOL!</p>
<p>Anyhoo—As the mom of a college applicant (for class of 2015), I am genuinely interested in learning which colleges are considered up-and-coming. So, I appreciate this thread, and I guess I will just ignore the food fights.</p>
<p>…except the s/f ratio is only 12:1 because helen carlon, a ‘strategic planning analyst’ who claims to have filled out the osu cds, doesnt know how to follow directions (not that shes not alone).</p>
<p>In these parts, Tufts, Wash U., and Rice have become immensely popular, with Emory coming in 4th.</p>
<p>Nothing has really changed about the inherent quality of the above schools–always have been excellent. Maybe, with the advent of the Internet, the schools are able better to “carpet-bomb” with what they have to offer and even more efficiently include the international community in their prospective audience.</p>
<p>I would also add UVA to the mix–great school–but now really attracting out-of-state and international talent.</p>
<p>Santa Clara’s business and engineering schools are on the rise. More “C-suite” executives in Silicon Valley are Santa Clara alumni than any other school, and the heads of the business and engineering schools have realized that SCU should be The school that prepares students for the innovation economy, by graduating students of competence, conscience, and compassion.</p>
<p>SMU’s business school is on the rise - now ranked in the low teens. My son was accepted, and while it was originally a safety school, he’s been so impressed he may end up going there.</p>
<p>New College of Florida. It’s a small LAC but, IIRC, it topped the list of largest percentage of fullbright scholars in the nation and consistently placing in the mid-top of schools sending highest percentage of students to grad school. Plus, it may be the only more than decent school in Florida besides possibly UMiami.</p>
<p>As for Duke, why is it “on the rise”? Hasn’t it always been a big deal?</p>
<p>Rise:
WashU. From a purely stats/finance point of view, WashU can go toe-to-toe with traditionally elite privates and a good chuck of the Ivy League. It only lags because of its elite status is so new. Every year people will get more and more used to WashU as an elite school and perceptions will change. </p>
<p>George Washington and to a lesser extent American. Pretty soon GW will be a peer of Georgetown, which would have sounded absurd just 10 years ago. </p>
<p>Will be falling:</p>
<p>Most big publics. This is really unfortunate, but the big state schools will have an increasingly hard time keeping up with private schools, especially with state budget cuts. </p>
<p>Engineering schools. Most engineering schools are trying to diversify out of engineering, but they should still take a hit.</p>
<hr>
<p>I think another related trend is that the difference between the top schools will become less clear. With more and more Americans applying to college, we may reach a point where there are so many strong students and resources available that quality differences within the top 20 will become difficult to discern, in the same way that it is difficult to see a difference today between Harvard, Yale, and Princeton. They all have so many resources and top students that there is no way to clearly determine which is best.</p>
<p>al6200, I am curious, why do you say this? You do understand, don’t you, that schools like Yale, Harvard and Duke are attempting to increase their size and quality of engineering departments?</p>