The first point makes no sense... Universities should be motivated to recruit students with better test scores. Rewarding students based on merit seems like the logical approach. Not to mention, the difference in the two is a couple percent?
Why U.S. News' college rankings hurt students
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Re: Why U.S. News' college rankings hurt students
#32Although I agree with the initial premise that college rankings are flawed, I still believe they serve a purpose: to inform students and parents of the schools that are the most popular. Brand recognition plays a paramount role in getting hired at certain companies, and the HR/hiring departments definitely keep an eye out for lists like this. It would be in someone's best interets to find the school that is most compatible with their future goals, but also keep in mind that going to a "top 20" school can impact their future signficantly.
Re: Why U.S. News' college rankings hurt students
#33Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'd say, they're not bullshit, but presenting them in such a finely graduated ranking is harmful There is a huge difference between the top 100 schools and the 201st-300th best schools.
There's probably a difference in the students at every level on average. if not strictly by intelligence, then by how hard they try and how much work they put in during high school. But I don't think the quality of teachers is going to change from top 100 to a community college. There are bad teachers at every school and good teachers. Some are famous in their field, and they don't teach or they can't teach well. And…
However, if you only have solid B students, you end up teaching less material than if you have a class of A+ students (looking at HS grades).
The depth of coursework is reduced the less esteemed the student body goes.
Re: Why U.S. News' college rankings hurt students
#34The author doesn't think that reputation is just an academic number with no significance? Regardless of any metrics used by ranking agencies, if you go to a school that people hold in high regard, that's going to open doors for you.
Re: Why U.S. News' college rankings hurt students
#35> At private schools, the percentage of students receiving need-based aid has actually declined! ..from 43% to 42%. This is not a significant amount. If the trend holds, we have something to worry about.
Considering most private schools are going to be significantly smaller than state schools, that 1% difference is quite likely a few dozen people tops. 1% at my private undergrad would be 18-20 people now.
The number of students attending private and public universities are actually pretty close (for 4-year schools): "Nearly 7.5 million students will attend public 2-year institutions (source), and 0.5 million will attend private 2-year colleges (source). Some 8.2 million students are expected to attend public 4-year institutions (source), and about 5.6 million will attend private 4-year institutions (source)."
Re: Why U.S. News' college rankings hurt students
#36Rankings systems are a necessary evil. If the US News didn't create them, someone else would. And they have flaws, as do all single measurements. (Stock price, imperfect. Page clicks, imperfect. IQ, imperfect.) That said, the article can be misleading. They claim that merit scholarships are crowding out need due to the rankings. According to their charts, public school aid is increasing very much and private school a…
Can you elaborate on the "vulirtuous circle"? The good students will go somewhere. Why is it good that they go to the same school as other good students? Is that good for the good students, or good for everyone?
Good for the schools that rank high and students that go there. It's a reinforcing cycle. (As opposed to being static, "You're ranked high based on an old reputation)
Certainly one can take a step back and say that employers should look for the most talented people, not the highest ranked school, but that's another story.
Re: Why U.S. News' college rankings hurt students
#37Normal FUD.
> 2. The rankings ignore job prospects.
I think says it all. I certainly didn't go to university for job prospects, McDonalds would have taken me I'm sure.
I did it to learn but also so I'd get a job that I enjoy and was a valuable member of the community in.
This particular ranking list might suck compared to others, but this article certainly didn't show it.
Re: Why U.S. News' college rankings hurt students
#38God says...
Virtual-Notary.Org hereby notes that on Date: Tuesday September 10, 2013 20:03.04 EDT (UTC-0400)
a random drawing in the range [1, 100000], inclusive, based on a hardware source of true randomness, yielded the following decision.
Random Value: 18618
water: 29:12 That thou shouldest enter into covenant with the LORD thy God, and into his oath, which the LORD thy God maketh with thee this day: 29:13 That he may establish thee to day for a people unto himself, and that he may be unto thee a God, as he hath said unto thee, and as he hath sworn unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
29:14 Neither with you only do I make this covenant and this oath; 29:15 But with him that standeth here with us this day before the LORD our God, and also with him that is not here with us this day: 29:16 (For ye know how we have dwelt in the land of Egypt; and how we came through the nations which ye passed by; 29:17 And ye have seen their abominations, and their idols, wood and stone, silver and gold, which were among them:) 29:18 Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the LORD our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations; lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood; 29:19 And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst: 29:20 The LORD will not spare him, but then the anger of the LORD and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the LORD shall blot out his name from under heaven.
29:21 And the LORD shall separate him unto evil out of all the tribes of Israel, according to all the curses of the covenant that are written in this book of the law: 29:22 So that the generation to come of your children that shall rise up after you, and the stranger that shall come from a far land, shall say, when they see the plagues of that land, and the sicknesses which the LORD hath laid upon it; 29:23 And that the whole land thereof is brimstone, and salt, and burning, that it is not sown, nor beareth, nor any grass groweth therein, like the overthrow of Sodom, and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim, which the LORD overthrew in his anger, and in his wrath: 29:24 Even all nations shall say, Wherefore hath the LORD done thus unto this land? what meaneth the heat of this great anger? 29:25 Then men shall say, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD God of their fathers, which he made with them when he brought them forth out of the land of Egypt: 29:26 For they went and served other gods, and worshipped them, gods whom they knew not, and whom he had not given unto them: 29:27 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against this land, to bring upon it all the curses that are written in this book: 29:28 And the LORD rooted them out of their land in anger, and in wrath, and in great indignation, and cast them into another land, as it is this day.