<p>sure, i heard that one spot on usnews ranking costs one million buck, so if usc wants to move into the top 20 just give usnews 20 millions.</p>
<p>Transfer,</p>
<p>USC is not the best for everyone, correct. It is not the best, simple and clear. I just don't see why USC can not reach top 20 or 25 in spite of all the reasons you guys gave.</p>
<p>I said "midwest carries less and less weight in the nation", not that they are not good already.</p>
<p>"^ Only Trojans would start this thread."</p>
<p>I don't think so. The subject is an easy target for all the haters. Not wise if a Trojan initiated it.</p>
<p>Hey who knows what will happen 20 years from now? But for now, most the schools ahead of USC have more going for them. Top 20 is a tough barrier to break.</p>
<p>
Well, if you want to consider trends in the US News rankings rather than static data, then you should also put USC versus UCSD into perspective... Firstly, the US News ranking of USC stopped increasing in 2005 -- it remained static at #30, while UCSD's ranking shot up from #36 to #32. Given that it only needs to rise half the number of spots as last year, UCSD will likely match or surpass USC in the rankings this year. Even with a deceleration in its upwards climb due to diminishing returns, UCSD will catch up with USC. Secondly, in the academic community, UCSD is already more prestigious for the sciences and engineering than USC. Just by peering at the number of top-ranked graduate programs in US News and the National Research Council, UCSD appears to be either increasing or plateauing at a lofty position in fields of academia where USC has traditionally remained static (Bioengineering, Political Science, Economics). If you want to talk about trends in the long term, then USC will have to catch up with UCSD before it can even dare to surpass UCLA and Berkeley. :rolleyes:</p>
<p>My point is that there are better schools who are more deserving than a private school in LA with limited top departments.</p>
<p>Besides, what makes it "top 25" to you? US News? Research? I don't understand. There is no set criteria for ranking colleges. Not even in college football!</p>
<p>Again, this is why a lot of people just ignore the rankings and look at the assessment score.</p>
<p>Regardless of the US News rankings, Notre Dame is now and will probably always be behind Northwestern, U of Chicago and Michigan as an academic big-shot in that part of the country. Notre Dame people aren't suicidal over that fact. They realize that they have excellent academics, a beautiful campus, a superb football tradition, a great alumni network, and a unique niche both regionally and nationally. Ditto Boston College in relation to Harvard and MIT. USC people would probably sleep better at night if they quit dreaming and accepted a similar role in relation to UCB, UCLA, and Stanford.</p>
<p>TourGuide, as someone from the Midwest, I totally disagree. For many catholics (maybe this is true across the US), Notre Dame is the end all be all of schools. It is their Harvard. Further, I know this will upset some posters, but I along with many of my peers saw Notre Dame=Northwestern > Michigan for undergrad. Honestly I didn't know a single person in HS who ever mentioned the University of Chicago. </p>
<p>Further, Notre Dame grads would rip you apart on why it is the best school in the midwest. For some people, it will be.</p>
<p>Bad analogy.</p>
<p>Many Catholics might see Notre Dame as the end all be all of schools, that it is their Harvard, but I think more think that Harvard is their Harvard, nowadays (with far less of the anti-catholic atmosphere compared to a few hundred years ago).</p>
<p>Hey, I'm Catholic, and from the Midwest too. So I'm familiar with the whole worship-ND phenomenon. There's a difference between worshiping/loving it and thinking it's the greatest academic institution. ND people are happy with their niche, and what I'm proposing is that USC people enjoy their special niche and stop wasting time fretting over US News rankings. (Also, DRab is absolutely correct about the Harvard being the Catholic Harvard.)</p>
<p>Not all USC students are obsessed with rankings. I wouldn't think moreso than any other school.</p>
<p>It does have its niche. I know that for ne prep school kids, it's one of two options(stanford being the other), if they want to go to college in California. And that a lot of California students looking for a really good preprofessional education and a great college experience at the same time look to sc.</p>
<p>As a Trojan, I have always found it greatly amusing how far people will go to discount USC. People love to hate us and, to be frank, I love to be hated by you all. With the Trojan Network backing itself up with a degree of loyalty that no other school can rival I welcome your "hateraid". It only makes the bonds of troy grow stronger.</p>
<ul>
<li>FIGHT ON!</li>
</ul>
<p>Tourguide wrote:</p>
<h2>Regardless of the US News rankings, Notre Dame is now and will probably always be behind Northwestern, U of Chicago and Michigan as an academic big-shot in that part of the country. Notre Dame people aren't suicidal over that fact. They realize that they have excellent academics, a beautiful campus, a superb football tradition, a great alumni network, and a unique niche both regionally and nationally. Ditto Boston College in relation to Harvard and MIT. USC people would probably sleep better at night if they quit dreaming and accepted a similar role in relation to UCB, UCLA, and Stanford.</h2>
<p>Comparing Trojans to Notre Dame and expecting us to fall into that same complacent role means you just don't understand what it is to be a Trojan. USC will crack the top 20 much sooner than you think. USC is capitalizing on its recent gains and will continue to push fervently. Furthermore, it will succeed. </p>
<p>
[quote]
With the Trojan Network backing itself up with a degree of loyalty that no other school can rival I welcome your "hateraid".
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Notre Dame? Dartmouth? </p>
<p>I don't feel like reading that- care to summarize a few key points?</p>