<p>Anyone know the date the new issue comes out? Any bets on LAC"S that have moved significantly up or down in the rankings?</p>
<p>2008's college rankings were released on @ August 14th so I'm assuming that's @ when they'll release the 2009 rankings.</p>
<p>Well this year, they need an extra week to compile all the drivel they have added to the 2009 edition. This year we'll have the absolute pleasure of learning what "educated" guidance counselors think are the best colleges in the United States. The only silver lining is that this illustrious group must have rushed to the online version of last year's U.S. News to read a bit about the schools they are supposed to know about and ... know how to evaluate. What a gift! </p>
<p>The raw data culled by U.S. News remains priceless (or at least worth every penny of the 10, 15,, or 20 dollars they charge) but the absurdity of the ranked list gets harder to stomach as they keep adding new "features" to keep their vision of an academic playing field. </p>
<p>Caveat Emptor has never sounded more true!</p>
<p>Oh by the way, here is the link from Morse Code, the architect of the rankings.<br>
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/546162-us-news-college-rankings-2009-a.html#post1060792344%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/546162-us-news-college-rankings-2009-a.html#post1060792344</a></p>
<p>Please note the irony of "the response to the criticisms that say the academic peer assessment survey filled out by college administrators is too slow to pick up improvements at colleges." Sweeping the real criticism of the academic peer assessment survey (blatant manipulation and lack of knowledge of the respondents) Morse and his acolytes simply serve us more of the warmed-up sour soup. </p>
<p>
[quote]
In our ongoing effort to make our America's Best Colleges guide as useful and informative as possible to our readers, U.S. News plans two new features for the upcoming 2009 edition of the America's Best Colleges rankings to be published on Aug. 22, 2008, on usnews.com.</p>
<p>The first one is in response to the criticisms that say the academic peer assessment survey filled out by college administrators is too slow to pick up improvements at colleges. U.S. News asked top academics in spring 2008 to name schools that they think are "Up and Coming Institutions." College presidents, provosts, and admission deans were asked to nominate up to 10 colleges that are making improvements in academics, faculty, students, campus life, diversity, and facilities. These schools are worth watching because they are making promising and innovative changes. This question on the survey enabled college officials to pick schools that are rapidly evolving in ways that the public should be aware of. We think the public and academia will be very interested in the results.</p>
<p>Second, U.S.News & World Report in spring 2008 for the first time asked a nationwide cross section of public school high school counselors for their views on undergraduate programs at American colleges and universities in our national universities and liberal arts colleges ranking categories. How will U.S.News & World Report use these new ranking data? We are going to publish the findings in the upcoming America's Best Colleges issue of the magazine, available in August 2008. We believe strongly that the opinions that high schools counselors, who play a key role in the college admission process, have about the merits of the nation's leading colleges will provide a very valuable source of information for prospective students, their parents, and our readers.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>The 2010 version promises to be even better as the U.S. News plans to poll the janitors and bus drivers as well.</p>
<p>I will only trust a set of rankings that puts my favorite colleges at the top. Hopefully US News gets it right this year.</p>
<p>On the US News & World Reports website it says August 22: The</a> College Rankings Are Coming - Morse Code: Inside the College Rankings (usnews.com)</p>
<p>
[quote]
Any bets on LAC"S that have moved significantly up or down in the rankings?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Making bets about changes among the LACs is an exercise in futility as the US News has been able to let schools that increased in every single objective category slip lower because of the impact of the Peer Assessment and questionable expected graduation rates. </p>
<p>There is no way to predict the Peer Assesments changes as they do not seem to track anything measurable.</p>
<p>Starting to see this little note more and more on USNEWS rankings</p>
<p>*This school refused to fill out the U.S. News survey; limited data appear.</p>
<p>I mean why should 90% of the schools out there even play the game. Report the common data set, which is useful, and move on as this ranking system is of little value.</p>
<p>Rankings are a joke, it is apples and oranges for many reasons, including what is best for you. There are at least 50 outstanding places you can choose to go, all providing a really great education. You just need to match up with the ones that will enhance your abilities the most. That may not be the mythical number 1.</p>
<p>The rankings from the US News & World Report are misleading and serve as a business mechanism to ‘market’ colleges rather than illuminating true quality and educational value. The rankings also add stress to the college application process, drive people into a frenzy, and sell the USNWR magazine. </p>
<p>
[quote]
Critics have charged that U.S. News intentionally changes its methodology every year so that the rankings change and they can sell more magazines.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>The National Opinion Research Center, one of the largest and most highly respected social research organizations in the US, found that the statistical weights used by U.S. News to rank colleges/universities “lack any defensible empirical or theoretical basis.” </p>
<p>See the Boston Globe article, Dismissing school rankings at: Dismissing</a> school rankings - The Boston Globe
[quote]
It's common knowledge how the statistics can be "gamed." Colleges can solicit applications from students with little chance of acceptance to boost how selective they appear. Schools can adjust when they allow faculty to take leave in order to raise the faculty/student ratio.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>And see article ** Criticism of college and university rankings** at: Criticism</a> of college and university rankings (2007 United States) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</p>
<p>Kudos to the colleges that refused to fill out the USNWR survey! So why do we continue to buy USNWR? I think we should boycott the magazine and refuse to buy it.</p>
<p>in answer to the OP, USNews will be out for sale on Aug 22. However, the mag is shipped to the local Barnes & Noble prior to that date so it can be stocked on the shelves on Friday. Since several cc members work at B&N and other book stores, expect to see the rankings leaked on cc a few days earlier.</p>
<br>
<blockquote> <blockquote> <p>This year we'll have the absolute pleasure of learning what "educated" guidance counselors think are the best colleges in the United States. The only silver lining is that this illustrious group must have rushed to the online version of last year's U.S. News to read a bit about the schools they are supposed to know about and ... know how to evaluate. What a gift! <<<</p> </blockquote> </blockquote>
<br>
<p>I was one of the guidance counselors ask to fill out the questionnaire. I, along with many other counselors I have talked with, decided not to participate. Here's why:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Only counselors from a very small sample of high schools were asked to participate.</p></li>
<li><p>We were only asked to rank selected institutions. No LACs, no master's level universities, few regional public institutions.</p></li>
<li><p>When questionned, US News' director of research indicated that they were going to "wait and see" what the guidance counselors said before deciding how to use the information. In other words, if the information conflicted with US News' existing rankings, the guidance counselor rankings would be ignored.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>In short, the "ranking" questionnaire was stacked so that only certain universities would be ranked by guidance counselors. </p>
<p>So, be cautious. Like the "peer reviews" US News probably will not be telling you how many counselors participated, how the counselors that were asked to participate were chosen, or that only selected colleges were included in the "rankings."</p>
<p>I think the best way to rank colleges would be the same way we rank high schools - exit tests (i.e., SATs, ACTs, APs) and PLACEMENT. Why can't we find out average MCATS, GMATS, GREs for graduates of various colleges? Why can't we find out where graduates go to post-graduate school? Where they go to work and at what salary? How they do in life in general? How many suicides? How much prozac prescribed?</p>
<p>I could really not care less what GC's think of the various colleges, even though our GC is a dear and we like her very much.</p>
<p>I expect to see my alma mater drop again, as it did last year, because our college's president is one of the ones leading the charge against rankings. I think Alma Mater may be the highest "ranked" LAC to sign the letter that pledges not to respond to USNWR requests for opinions on other colleges, and not to use and USNWR ranking info in their marketing material. Of course, <insert tone="" dripping="" with="" sarcasm="" here=""> USNWR is far too objective to "retaliate" in any way, ha ha.</insert></p>
<p>I think your alma mater should be fine, as long as your President does not add a german "booK" at the end of his name.</p>
<p>Is your Alma Mater Reed?</p>
<p>Artmommy - no, sorry!</p>
<p>xiggi - ? I'm confused?</p>
<p>Check the President of Drew.</p>
<p>ahhhh.... yes, you are correct. Alma Mater's pres is missing the german book, lol.</p>
<p>
[quote]
I think the best way to rank colleges would be the same way we rank high schools
[/quote]
IMO, the way high schools are ranked is absolutely ridiculous. # of AP tests rather than how well the students did on them? Give me a break.
(US News and Newsweek use this method).</p>
<p>I'd like to see the data for colleges' improvement of standardized median test scores from entry to exit, like GRE/SAT (or LSAT, MCAT, ACT, whatever). Coupled with CDS or similar data, a HS student could then pick out her match schools that produce the greatest improvement, and from them pick the best fits.</p>