<p>Anyone know when it's coming out? Can't be more than a few weeks.</p>
<p>i read it somewhere i forgot. but i think around aug 11</p>
<p>Seriously though, WHO CARES!!! PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, (I can go on.....) do not pick the schools you are interested in / applying to based on the US News rankings. </p>
<p>In my humble opinion, the worst day in Admissions every year is when those "lovely" rankings come out. And yes "lovely" is in quotes because I have a lot of other words I could share. I could go on and on and on, and probably will post a blog on my thoughts one day, but it is too early in the morning.</p>
<p>I completely agree. Most people don't realize that its extremely questionable how they decide on the rankings. If you do decide to use them, don't ever look at them as anything other than a general guide to which schools are good. All of the top 25 (in reality probably more than that, but I'm just picking a number) schools are excellent schools. Beyond that, people need to make decisions for themselves on which school is best for them and their specific set of goals.</p>
<p>I've seen job requirments for very lucrative jobs that state they want schools that are "Ivy League or Top '5' schools" so the rankings do matter at least to someone. (Note, this job payed $80-120k starting salary for out of college grads)</p>
<p>Of course, you shouldn't pick a school based on rankings but people shouldn't say that they don't matter.</p>
<p>I signed up for the online edition last year and got a notice a few days ago that the 2007 online will be avail. Aug. 17th. so I assume the magazines will be out by then. Bear in mind that its a very strange ranking that they do---
for ex, you might think that student selectivity would be much more important than some other ratings in the overall ranking but its pretty much on par with many other items that seem almost trivial to me.</p>
<p>AdcomDaniel, I think the many posters on this forum who are curious about USN rankings are current or accepted JHU students, not prospective HS'ers picking schools to apply to this fall.</p>
<p>Scorp is right, they do matter to some people in the business world, they are at least worth taking a glance at</p>
<p>Google has openly admitted that it is extremely difficult to even get an interview unless you come from an Ivy League school or other extremely high ranked school.</p>
<p>chlor, I wish that was true. Unfortunately, research though has shown that USNWR rankings are still to this day considered a high priority for prospective students. And if not, they are still used by the media and many others to "classify" colleges. That point has been proven already on this thread.</p>
<p>I can understand glancing at ranking and using them to see lists of schools, but to judge a school because they are #3 and not #1, or because they are #14 but not #9. The rankings are seriously flawed as well when looking at undergraduate experience. </p>
<p>And this is coming from someone who works at a school that is highly ranked!!! My frustration with this system would be so much greater is a worked for another amazing school - such as one listed in the Colleges That Change Lives book. </p>
<p>OK, enough of a rant. Believe what you want, but do understand the majority of admissions counselors out there do hate the topic of USNWR and our eyes literally roll into the back of our heads when the topic is brought up.</p>
<p>JHU was ranked #16 (-3 places from last year) in National Universities and was ranked as #22 in selectivity.</p>
<p>yea, i was extremely surprised by that, hopkins dropped signaficantly. what happened admissions dan, not enough research money last year? lol im just kidding, i know the list is meaningless.</p>
<p>Why do people care so much about these lame rankings? They are for those who are insecure about their own college choice and who need something tangible to reassure them. I don't know about you guys, but if you're truly happy with the school you've chosen then what's the point of drooling over a list of number crunched statistics?</p>
<p>the fact is that people DO care... and that the admission's office is not mindful of this or acts like they don't pay attention to these rankings blows my mind. The University Chicago (jumped 6 spots this year) will no doubt reap the rewards of playing the numbers game, i.e. being attentive to U.S. News and most likely receive numerous more applications---more applications usually means better selectivity, better(at least on paper) incoming class..etc. Is this NOT what the admissions department of Johns Hopkins University wants??</p>
<p>Stop thinking that prestige mongering adults and consequently their children don't pay attention to these rankings--- Hopkins at #16 is an insult</p>
<p>let me also add that a higher rank is also a good draw for alumni contributions. The U.S. News rankings are here to stay...get with it!</p>
<p>"Hopkins at #16 is an insult"</p>
<p>True. And these rankings do reprsent something they are not based on numbers drawn from a hat. So that means either the JHU endowment, or the JHU selectivity, or the peer assesment rate has suffered -- these are all important things in a University.</p>
<p>People, people, people.. <em>If</em> you think these ratings matter, remember that JHU is currently "ranked" 16th in the country. Last year 13th in the country. Out of over 3000 institutions of higher education. Even if you think these rankings mean something, the difference between those two rankings is de minimus. Means nothing. </p>
<p>Any student or parent who would apply to the 13th-ranked University, but would not apply to the 16th ranked university.... ??????????</p>
<p>well thought out answer jmmom...sadly, the fact is that people do care and some colleges actually love the rankings and boast their ranking and others like JHU despise them. Point is, it's all subjective.</p>
<p>
[quote]
JHU despise them
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Really?</p>
<p>Just because AdmissionsDaniel makes you believe that they don't care about the rankings is not a representative reflection of the university. I cannot tell you how many time over the course of the last 3 years where I have heard faculty and staff site these rankings. President Brody himself has given speeches praising JHU programs for having high rankings, the fact is the school cares a lot.</p>
<p>Whether its subjective or objective is really a moot point, as palmbeach said these rankings are here to stay in our society. People like things explained to them in an easy-to-read format and will easily perceive truth from a publication such as this. Students, parents, employees, alumni, etc. all greatly care about these rankings and again I point to what palmbeach said, why should the university itself be any different? Success is really a snowball effect and brings much notoriety to a school that can only help them in the global sense. </p>
<p>To jmmom, sure the school only fell 3 places out of like 3000 which doesn't seem to bad, but look at it compared to its immediate peer schools, it got absolutely nailed. No longer is it tied with or above 2 ivy league schools, its not in even the same range as Chicago anymore, great public schools are continuing to creep up towards it. The fact is, within this small circle of elite acadmic institutions Hopkins is one of the only schools to actually decline in status. Last time I checked, that ain't good. I wonder how many students, when narrowing down what schools they will apply to will look at say Brown and JHU and decide to apply to Brown over JHU simply because of this ranking. It is probably a subconcious decision made because of the immense influence that USNews now has, but I'm willing to bet it happens, re-emphasizing the snow-ball effect that these rankings can have. I don't get why a university wouldn't care.</p>
<p>Wow. Hopkins in really slipping. And they apparently don't even care. A once fine institution indifferently sliding down the slope towards academic mediocrity.
Keep up the "the ratings mean nothing" attitude and the slide will continue. Once you've dropped below twenty in the rankings, the best and the brightest won't even have Hopkins on their radar screens. Pretty sad.</p>
<p>DerJunge, I hope that was sarcasm because while the overall rankings are significant if you believe that the best and the brightest don't have UCLA UCB NYU and or many others on their lists, you are wrong.</p>
<p>Why U.S. News ranks colleges
It's a controversial question, with a simple answer. We do it to help you make one of the most important decisions of your life.</p>
<p>Your investment in a college education could profoundly affect your career opportunities, financial well-being, and quality of life.</p>
<p>To find the right college, you need a source of reliable and consistent data-information that lets you compare one college with another and find the differences that matter to you. That's what we do with our rankings.</p>
<p>We rank for quality and we rank for best value as well. You wouldn't go out and buy a computer or a car without making sure it was the best you could afford given your budget. The same rule should apply for choosing a college-especially at a time when four years at some private U.S. universities can cost you $200,000 in tuition, room, board, required fees, books and other personal expenses such as pizza.</p>
<p>Most people choose a college only once in their lifetime, so there’s not much opportunity to learn from your past mistakes. Instead, you need first-rate information from the start. America’s Best Colleges, in print and on line, can help you by making it easier for you to sift through data from over 1,800 colleges and universities.</p>
<p>Do use the rankings as one tool to select and compare schools.
Don't rely solely on rankings to choose a college.
Do use the search and sort capabilities of this site to learn more about schools.
Don't wait until the last minute. College matters. Take your time and choose carefully.
Do think long and hard about the right place for you.
As in the past, U.S. News recommends that its readers use the rankings as one tool for selecting a college. We recognize that prospective students must consider their academic and professional goals, financial resources, scholastic record, and special needs when choosing a school. And we recommend that students gather information on colleges in a number of ways-by talking to parents, high school guidance counselors, and other advisers; from college catalogs, view books, and Web sites; and from campus visits to form first-hand impressions.</p>
<p>I agree with some of those last tips. </p>
<p>Students should stop looking for prestige and go to a college where they can be successful and fit in. In conclusion, these rankings shouldnt make the ultimate decision in the college you select and a college with a high ranking doesnt neccessarily mean it's a good college.</p>