<p>I am new to CC. I am trying to get more details on USC where I have applied </p>
<p>I came across this story and wanted to know what others at CC feel? </p>
<p>I have a simple answer: it’s not. Your source is pretty poor, and I don’t know how they conducted a survey to determine the schools with the “best reputation.” That is too dependent upon whom is asked. University of Wisconsin is more reputable than Northwestern, Carnegie Mellon, Duke, and Chapel Hill? UMichigan above UChicago, Johns Hopkins, Cornell, and Columbia? Come on.</p>
<p>Fermat is correct - see below from the website: Basically just the opinion of “academics” from all over the world.</p>
<p>"Each year, tens of thousands of academics from all over the world receive an important email.</p>
<p>It is an invitation from Times Higher Education and Thomson Reuters to take part in the annual Academic Reputation Survey, carried out by Ipsos.</p>
<p>“You have been statistically selected to complete this survey and will represent thousands of your peers,” it says. “The scholarly community, university administrators, and students worldwide depend on the survey results - they provide the most reliable access to the voice of scholars like you.”"</p>
<p>National rankings (like USNews’ National Rankings) focus on non-academic measures like student-to-faculty ratios, admit rates, retention rates and alumni giving. USC does pretty well on this ranking because private schools can more easily meet the criteria. </p>
<p>International rankings (like Times Higher Education and ARWU) are much more academic focused. They focus more on research prestige, not exclusivity prestige. Therefore, it’s the big research universities that perform well. USC is not really considered a big research powerhouse. The 7 big research state universities, Berkeley, Michigan, UCLA, Wisconsin, Washington, Illinois and Texas all perform MUCH better on international rankings than national rankings since international rankings are more academic focused. There’s actually not that big of a discrepency between the THE and ARWU rankings.</p>
<p>Here is a really good thread that explains this exact ranking really well. Read the whole thing.</p>
<p>[CC</a> - Top World Brands](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/1303802-top-world-brands-higher-ed-rankings.html]CC”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/1303802-top-world-brands-higher-ed-rankings.html)</p>
<p>This just a poll of 50 “experts.” I wouldn’t take it too seriously.</p>
<p>Andrewt787 said it best. It really depends on what the survey is measuring. Fermat25 just helps contribute to the stereotype that USC fans are not very bright. I believe USC students are as smart as they come, but when you call a source “poor” because you don’t understand why your favorite school doesn’t do too well it shows your own lack of awareness. Simply put, if you want southern California job networking, personal counseling etc go to USC. Like the poster said above me, USC does better at keeping their students in their network and staying in contact with you for donations/news/events after your graduation. That is why it ranks higher on the US News by 2-3 than UCLA. This isn’t to say that UCLA doesn’t do the above, it’s just that USC does it a few spots in ranking better since it is private. If you want more renowned name recognition for academics go to UCLA. If you look at rankings that are purely reputation and academic in nature you will see UCLA comes out way ahead usually. If you think you don’t need the smaller class sizes and personalized details and want to trade it for a more nationally recognized name then go to Westwood. Both universities are top class though. It is just what you are looking for.</p>
<p>Here is another ranking based on university reputation and prestige that puts uWisconsin in the top 25 as well. Before you go out and call everything you simply don’t understand “poor” or “don’t take it too seriously,” Fermat25 and Jeffs4ever, go read up on how they actually determine the ranking and what it is meant for. </p>
<p>[The</a> World’s Most Prestigious Universities](<a href=“The World's Most Prestigious Universities | HuffPost College”>The World's Most Prestigious Universities | HuffPost College)</p>
<p>Here is another US News ranking of the top universities in the world with more academic and reputation variables and undergraduate attention factored out (UCLA is #34, no idea where USC is, it’s not above UCLA):</p>
<p>[World’s</a> Best Universities; Top 400 Universities in the World | US News](<a href=“http://www.usnews.com/education/worlds-best-universities-rankings/top-400-universities-in-the-world]World’s”>http://www.usnews.com/education/worlds-best-universities-rankings/top-400-universities-in-the-world)</p>
<p>It all depends on what you want. Both schools are great and both schools are even better at what they are known for.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>*Checks profile of poster
*Sees location as “UCLA”
*Disregards post</p>
<p>Seriously, your post screams of anti-USC bias. At least don’t make it so blatantly obvious that you are a Bruin if you hope to denigrate your rival while maintaining some level of credibility.</p>
<p>^ Perfect example of why USC students have a stereotype against them from the general populace and UCLA stereotypes are only exclusive to USC kids throwing insults. Not surprised at all this is the response I got. OP, notice how instead of getting actual information that contradicts my posts and links, all you get from the USC students is insults. </p>
<p>My post wasn’t directed at USC students. It was directed at whoever wanted more information that didn’t already have their mind made up which University is better simply based on the fact that they go there. Disregard my above post please, it doesn’t address you in the slightest.</p>
<p>PS: Just to clarify, I hold the University of Southern California in high regard. I truly do. To be more specific, it is the student body/fan base (especially those on CC) who have shown undeserving of respect except for the very few extremely well behaved and kind members (alamemom, Georgia Girl etc)</p>
<p>I am not (yet) so much into the rivalry (it is better that it is left on the athletic fields) but I definitely find the discussion and the information given including those by g0ld3n and andrew useful. They dont appear to say USC is bad. I am trying to find out more about colleges. Thank you.</p>
<p>I do see that not many people here can hear anything even very mildly negative about USC. And some “moms” who have 5000 postings wow. may be they are employees of USC???</p>
<p>I have to see UCLA forum also and see how people there are</p>
<p>PENN State is ranked higher by some nebulous group of Academics than USC is; but as if the fun stopped there…Davis? San Diego? NYU below UCSF?</p>
<p>But in all seriousness. I wonder how many people decided to attend University of Illinois over USC or heck…Harmon Raju’s old haunt…NYU based on these “findings.” I would love to see their faces in a year…</p>
<p>As an aside, the field of higher academia, in case you have not noticed is extremely catty and competitive. USC has managed to vault in the national and international rankings by leaps and bounds in the last decade. Doing so, while recruiting some of the best faculty from both: U.S.A. and abroad does not go without upsetting people.</p>
<p>Much as we like to believe that all Ph.Ds out in the big big world are the walking images of integrity and propriety; such is not always the case. People can and will down-rank a school for a number of factors, especially in perception based surveys. At the end of the day what counts more than the school’s reputation is your own willingness to put in hard work, and the intensity of your program.</p>
<p>@Kmazurek,</p>
<p>Penn State is a fine school! Although, I cannot wait to get out of here. C’mon USC, let me in!!!</p>
<p>USC’s undergraduate program is top notch, but USC still needs to work on its graduate, professional, and research programs. That’s how most universities earn their prestige. Plus, it simply takes time to build a reputation. USC only started the drive to increase its academic standing about 20 years ago. </p>
<p>On the flip side, I personally think that many schools on the list, like Wisconsin and Michigan, are undeservedly riding reputations earned decades ago.</p>
<p>I am currently an applicant to USC and UCLA living in SoCal. At least in my area, most of the people would choose UCLA over USC any day as would I.</p>
<p><em>in before generic ‘beyphy goes to ucla’ comment</em></p>
<p>The ranking is an aggregate of academics examining the programs of other people in their fields at given universities. From this, universities gain their reputation as established by Times. USC is still pumping its grad program, so it will take time. But it should be noted that both schools increased in their rankings, although because of constraints in the times higher education, we can’t know how much USC increased by.</p>
<p>
More like 17,500…
[Behind</a> the numbers: reputation ranking methodology explained - Times Higher Education Reputation Rankings](<a href=“http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/world-university-rankings/2011-2012/reputation-methodology.html]Behind”>http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/world-university-rankings/2011-2012/reputation-methodology.html)</p>
<p>This ranking is primarily based on research publications. USC has been making a strong effort to recruit additional top notch research oriented faculty, but it takes time to build a strong portfolio of publications that garner citations - a big part of building a reputation. </p>
<p>These rankings do not, however, necessarily translate into a great educational environment - especially at the undergraduate level. Private schools with their smaller faculty to student ratio’s can engage a larger percentage of students into the research process and direct access with professors that are driving the reputations of their schools. The larger schools, however, simply cannot connect a significant percentage of their students with these professors in meaningful, transformative ways. </p>
<p>USC has been working to build a world class research program along with an engaging teaching environment. It takes time, but USC has made tremendous progress. There are so many factors that define what USC can provide that simply don’t fit neatly into these rankings - but gives students a unique experience that cannot be replicated anywhere else.</p>
<p>Just goes to show how little rankings (should) matter. A lot of the things that go into their rankings have little to no bearing on your college experience at that school, and yet millions of students continue to place their entire self-worth on them. I guess we will always be a culture of blindly chasing prestige and brand-names that have been dictated to them.</p>
<p>I guess rankings are meaningless within a range. Top 10 compared to 100 might be significant but may not Top 10 compared to 20 or 25th…</p>