USF Ranked 449 out of 650

[charsibb]

in Forbes' list of America's Best Colleges

 

http://centerforcollegeaffordability.org/rankings/2012-rankings

 

 

Granted, much of the data is highly subjective, and a good chunk is from self-selected data sources (such as ratemyprofessor.com). They argue that the shortcomings inherent in use of this kind of data are not significant, because they believe that it does not significantly bias the results - on an institutional level. They may be right, but it still seems wrong (to me) to use this kind of data. Fully 57% of the ranking is questionable in my mind (bolded below).

 

And then there's the 4-year grad rate, one of my personal pet peeves. 11.25% of the ranking value is absolutely bogus. The quality of an institution to deliver education is not determined by the length of time it takes for that education to be delivered. We shoule celebrate those folks working full time and taking 10+ years to finish their degrees as they try to better themselves.

 

 

Methodology

http://centerforcollegeaffordability.org/uploads/2012_Methodology.pdf

 

1. Student Satisfaction (27.5%)
Student Evaluations from RateMyProfessor.com (17.5%)
Actual Freshman-to-Sophomore Retention Rates (5%)
Predicted vs. Actual Freshman-to-Sophomore Retention Rates (5%)

2. Post-Graduate Success (32.5%)
Listings of Alumni in Who’s Who in America (10%)
Salary of Alumni from Payscale.com (15%)
American Leaders List (7.5%)

3. Student Debt (17.5%)
Average Federal Student Loan Debt Load (10%)
Student Loan Default Rates (5%)
Predicted vs. Actual Percent of Students Taking Federal Loans (2.5%)

4. Four-year Graduation Rate (11.25%)
Actual Four-year Graduation Rate (8.75%)
Predicted vs. Actual Four-year Graduation Rate (2.5%)

5. Academic Success (11.25%)
Student Nationally Competitive Awards (7.5%)
Alumni Receiving PhDs (3.75%)
 

 

 

[Gismo]

Thought academic success would be more important than rate my professor.

All of these lists are pointless. Outside of a group of top 10, then Top 30, then top 100 the differences are indistinguishable, subjective and meaningless. University ratings are better of they ranked them in groups but eithout giving them an exact number like 1-10, 11-30, 31-100. Then outside of those ranges most really aren't very different in quality of education.

[charsibb]

Unfortunately, they're not pointless because people actually use them for decision-making. Sad, but true.

[Jihme]

Unfortunately, they're not pointless because people actually use them for decision-making. Sad, but true.

 

this!

[Dogma]

At least the sisters to the east cant use this as another moral victory.

(They're ranked 462.)

[Paisa el Toro]

At least the sisters to the east cant use this as another moral victory.

(They're ranked 462.)

 

 

Nope, not rivals!

[Bulls 1]

But they beat us in this one

http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/daily-ticker/only-150-3500-u-colleges-worth-investment-former-132020890.html?vp=1

[charsibb]

But they beat us in this one

http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/daily-ticker/only-150-3500-u-colleges-worth-investment-former-132020890.html?vp=1

 

Contrary to popular belief, there's more to college life than just money. As he says,

 

"Bennet discovered, for example, graduates of Jefferson College of Health Science and Nursing in Virginia make more after two years than those from the prestigious University of Virginia in Charlottesville."

 

I'd still rather go to UVA.

[Gismo]

Unfortunately, they're not pointless because people actually use them for decision-making. Sad, but true.

bird brains

[hm101]

Forbes is notorious for bad rankings. Don't read that much into it

 

EVIDENCE: Said list has uga ranked above Georgia Tech. Enough said.