<p>I just recently saw the US News list for top 25 lacs, and I have to admit I am angered by the rankings. The rankings are</p>
<li>Amherst College Lord Jeffs</li>
<li>Williams College Ephs</li>
<li>Swarthmore College Phoenix </li>
<li>Wellesley College Blue </li>
<li>Middlebury College Panthers</li>
<li>Bowdoin College Polar Bears</li>
<li>Pomona College Saghens</li>
<li>Carleton College Knights </li>
<li>Davidson College Wildcats</li>
<li>Haverford College Fords</li>
<li>Claremont McKenna College Stags</li>
<li>Vassar College Brewers </li>
<li>Wesleyan University Cardinals </li>
<li>Grinell College Pioneers </li>
<li>Harvey Mudd College (not sure what mascot they are, from what I can tell they don’t have one)</li>
<li>Washington and Lee University Generals </li>
<li>Colgate University Raiders</li>
<li>Hamilton College Continentals</li>
<li>Oberlin College Yeomen</li>
<li>Colby College Mules</li>
<li>Macalester College Fighting Scots</li>
<li>Barnard College Bears</li>
<li>Scripps College Squirrels<br></li>
<li>Bucknell University Bison </li>
<li>Colorado College Tigers</li>
</ol>
<p>What do you think of this list? I personally think it is hogwash. I know ranking colleges is arbitrarily, however there are some things wrong with this list. </p>
<li>Kenyon and Bates should be on it.</li>
<li>Bucknell and Hamilton shouldn’t be on it.</li>
<li>Colby is too low.</li>
<li>Carleton is way too high. They are highley overrated. </li>
<li>Davidson should be higher. </li>
</ol>
<p>Mudd's mascot is also the Stags, as they compete jointly with CMC and Scripps. Likewise, it is the "Pomona-Pitzer" Sagehens, not just Pomona, FWIW.</p>
<p>As for the rankings, while "Top 25" has a nice ring to it, the number is really just an arbitrary cutoff. The rankings are basically accurate to, say, five or ten places, and schools within that general range of one another are highly comparable.</p>
I agree to some extent, though both of those institutions suffer a bit in the rankings due to low endowment compared to their peer schools. Kenyon especially seems to struggle financially at times.</p>
<p>
[quote]
That's weird about Harvey's mascot, because Scripps mascot is not the stags.
[/quote]
More accurately, all of the Claremont McKenna-Harvey Mudd men's teams are the "Stags" while all of the CMC-Mudd-Scripps women's teams are the "Athenas." CMS</a> Athletics : CMS Quick Facts</p>
<p>I wasn't aware that Kenyon struggles financially. Do you mind telling me more? I'm considering going there so it would be helpful to hear more about it.</p>
<p>The rankings aren't arbitrary, but the criteria and ascribed weights are matters of art, not fact. US News has their procedure (which they change periodically), however reasonable people may differ. I would suggest applying your own criteria, and your own weights, to the factors that are important to you individually, then use that ranking to inform your decision.</p>
<p>Kenyon's financial struggles are mostly in the past - the college was very successful in its recent fundraising drive starting last year, though that was spurred primarily by a few very large gifts (including from the late Paul Newman, class of '49) and I'm sure the donations have slowed with the nationwide economic recession. Still, Kenyon's endowment pales in comparison to the heavy-hitters of the LAC circle, like Grinnell, Williams, Amherst, and Swat, who all have almost 10x the financial resources of Kenyon. I think part of the difficulty Kenyon faced was that it had a tiny enrollment until about the 1960's, and thus a small alumni base from which to draw.</p>
<p>I don't think this is a huge deal to most prospective applicants who would consider Kenyon. The main effects of Kenyon's smaller financial base is that the school has to be more judicious in undertaking large construction/expansion efforts (which is true everywhere these days), and that the tuition and financial aid packages may not be as attractive as some other peer institutions. Kenyon does not guarantee metting full need, though it comes pretty close, and does give out a fair # of merit scholarships to attract top students who might not otherwise consider it. </p>
<p>Again, I don't think this is a huge deal, and I am certainly keeping Kenyon on my own list. But donations and endowment do have an impact on the USNWR rankings, and students who need a large amount of need-based aid may not be as thrilled about Kenyon's FA packages. Just something to consider.</p>
<p>Smith College is an outstanding institution, arguably just as good as, if not better than, Wellesley and Barnard.</p>
<p>The Williams-Amherst vying for first is absolutely nonsense. More silly than Princeton and Harvard vying for first in the national universities category. Shows how much this publication knows about the institutions of higher education.</p>
<p>I may have a bias since S attends Grinnell, but he is getting a phenomenal education. Based on the academic rigor of the classes, the quality of the professors along with the facilities at the college, IMO the college is a top 25 LAC. I can't tell you what number Grinnell deserves, nor is it really relevant, but the school is first rate regardless of whether its ranking is #14, or last year when it was tied for #11 or whatever ranking it's assigned in the future. </p>
<p>While Kenyon is a great school (visited twice), make sure the school you choose is the right fit for you and don't dwell on the ranking it receives in a beauty contest. Why be angered by the rankings? The exact numerical ranking means nothing. Each school has its strengths. There is a general consensus of which colleges are the top LAC's, and regardless of where they are ranked, they will still be perceived as the top LAC's.</p>
<p>I know, I know it is all about fit. I'm just a passionate and prideful person so I like other to recognize how good a school is. Most likely I will be wrestling for Northwestern next year though.</p>
<p>I completely disagree with you about Carleton. I'll give Williams and Amherst a tie for first, but 3-9 are all a tie, in my opinion. I do agree that Kenyon should be in the top 25, though.</p>
<p>Country Day, I am not sure why you find yourself angered by a list. Your comments are clearly biased so I feel compelled to defend my personal favorite LAC. Bucknell is a true gem in the center of PA. I have visited and I have been impressed by many college campuses but Bucknell always remains at the top of my list so I am happy to see that it has earned a well-deserved spot on this list... although these lists are really meaningless. The bottom line is to find a college/university where you are happily engaged in your education and surroundings.</p>
<p>i think that wellesley should be lower than it is....it is a good school and all but i just don't see how it is higher than Midd, Bowdoin, Pomona, Carleton, Haverford, Davidson, etc...</p>
<p>Carleton is the only one of which I have personal knowledge. I'm not sure why you think it's ranked too high, but alums clearly disagree. USNWR considers alum giving as an indirect measure of student satisfaction and Carleton has the highest alumni giving percentage of any nat'l uni or LAC. It's 5% higher than the next closest and 50% higher than the #2 and #3 ivies.</p>
<p>Also, last year over 50% of both the 50th and 5th reunion classes returned to campus for reunion. So folks who went to school there are willing to spend their time and their money staying connected.</p>