<p>Just wondering, when people talk about "schools like HPYS" why do they always skip over Columbia which has been ranked higher that "S"?</p>
<p>Not that I really think it matters, I was just curious what I was missing?</p>
<p>I do not know how your rankings (which you fail to cite) justify placing Columbia over Stanford, but the latter is simply in a different academic league, especially in the sciences.</p>
<p>The OP must be using USNews [National</a> University Rankings | Top National Universities | US News Best Colleges](<a href=“http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities]National”>http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities) which ranks Columbia #4 and Stanford #5.</p>
<p>OP, Columbia is a recent rise. In 2009 and 2010 it was ranked #8. Frequently the Acronym is HYPSM to include MIT.</p>
<p>Columbia experienced a rather severe decline starting in late 60s due to campus politics and the deleterious conditions of NYC. It has been gradually climbing out of the hole since the 90s.</p>
<p>
Yes, the former (Columbia) is in the “Ivy League”.</p>
<p>Yes, I was looking at US News and World Report. But, Columbia was ranked 4 last year too and I really didn’t closely follow these things prior to that so I didn’t know where they stood before then. </p>
<p>I was looking to find out what the “other things” there obviously were that people based their placing HPYS and even HPYSM, in one category but never included Columbia. So I guess you are saying historically those schools ranked higher in USNWR and other areas and that is the reason. So do you think that no matter how well as school is doing and how well it is ranked it can never be considered a top aspiration?</p>
<p>As a fan of acronyms, I think that Columbia would be a welcome addition to the Harvard, MIT, Princeton, Yale, and Stanford family. Either it, or Caltech. </p>
<p>“I just finished my applications to CHMPYS”.</p>
<p>“Uh… did you say chumpies?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, CHMPYS.”</p>
<p>“…that’s a state school, right?”</p>
<p>Any school can be a top aspiration. Nothing wrong with Columbia, nor many other schools. It really depends on the student and the finances. Both my DDs who had Ivy level stats passed on applying to Ivies.</p>
<p>^ Actually Garda I think I do recall a posting about CHYMPS…<br>
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-confidential-cafe/354043-its-chymps.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-confidential-cafe/354043-its-chymps.html</a> As early as 2007 (though the C is sometimes Caltech).</p>
<p>^yes, “historically” in USNWR ranking history (which started in the 80s). But if you go back further to the first half of the 20th century, Columbia was one of the very top universities in the country.</p>
<p>Silly me. If this was a quiz show I would have failed. To me, C = Cornell. :o</p>
<p>This chump doesn’t belong in a Chumpies discussion.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I always thought the M was for Michigan; as in Ivy League, private and public. </p>
<p>I learn something new everyday!</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>So you believe that those initials are the “top aspiration” and nothing beyond those initials? It’s just an acronym, let it go.</p>
<p>Just think how well an alphabet book would sell among parents who want to start indoctrinating their children early. There could be several editions. A is for Amherst/Annapolis/Alabama. B is for Barnard/Boston/'Bama. C is for Columbia/Cornell/Caltech/Coast Guard Academy/Clemson. Etcetera.</p>
<p>You’d have to watch carefully to make sure that you don’t send mixed messages. No “C is for Cal” AND “S is for Stanford”, or “L is for ucLa” AND “S is for uSc” in the same book, for instance. </p>
<p>:) 
;)</p>
<p>And Z is for …? ;)</p>
<p>I always thought C (when included) was Caltech. Maybe it should be U of Chicago, I think we need some midwest representation.</p>
<p>
Universidad Aut</p>
<p>Z is for ZooMass</p>
<p>stanford is probably more difficult to get into, which is why it gets a place in the acronym</p>
<p>Z is for 'Zoo, as in Kalamazoo. :)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>With the new Planet of the Apes movie being heavily advertised this week, I read the acronym as “chimpies”. Tagline for the film is something like “it may be our world, but it is their planet.” Now I’m imagining the acronymed elites seizing power and … oh, wait.</p>