Why is U.S. News ranking bad?
Asked by: Flavio Raynor | Last update: September 5, 2025Score: 5/5 (74 votes)
On the website for US News, it states, "over time, the ranking model has put less emphasis on input measures of quality—which look at characteristics of the students, faculty and other resources going into the educational process—and more emphasis on output measures, which look at the results of the educational process ...
What are U.S. News rankings based on?
Each year, top academics – presidents, provosts and deans of admissions – rate the academic quality of peer institutions with which they are familiar on a 5-point scale: outstanding (5), strong (4), good (3), adequate (2) or marginal (1). U.S. News takes a two-year weighted average of the ratings.
Why are colleges leaving U.S. News rankings?
Many schools said that the rankings do not accurately reflect their values. The first schools to leave the U.S. News rankings were Harvard Law and Yale Law. Critiques of the methodology include overemphasis on GPA and test scores and a lack of focus on need-based aid and loan forgiveness programs.
Why are medical schools pulling out of rankings?
The heart of the issue lies in the conflicting priorities of stakeholders. U.S. News, in its quest for comprehensive data-driven rankings (and for clicks), has long relied on metrics that, while easily quantifiable, fail to capture the nuances of medical education.
What is the most reliable university ranking?
Several organizations produce worldwide university rankings, including the following. The three longest established and most influential global rankings are those produced by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), Times Higher Education (THE) and Shanghai Ranking Consultancy (the Academic Ranking of World Universities; ARWU).
Why some top schools are opting out of U.S. News’ college rankings list
What is the most legit university ranking?
- Harvard University.
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
- Stanford University.
- University of Oxford.
- University of California Berkeley.
- University of Cambridge.
- University College London.
- University of Washington Seattle.
Is Oxford better than Harvard?
Here is a comparison based on recent rankings. QS World University Rankings 2025: Oxford is ranked 3rd, while Harvard is ranked 4th. Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024: Oxford is ranked 1st, and Harvard is ranked 4th.
Why is Harvard med school unranked?
"Ultimately," he wrote, "the suitability of any particular medical school for any given student is too complex, nuanced, and individualized to be served by a rigid ranked list, no matter the methodology." Daley said that he had contemplated this withdrawal since becoming dean of Harvard Medical School 6 years ago.
How does U.S. News ranking medical schools?
We use data to rank the Best Medical Schools and particular specialties, like pediatrics or anesthesiology. We also have a profile on each school that features information such as the application deadline and popular residency and specialty programs.
Which GPA is the most important for medical school?
A competitive GPA for medical school is generally 3.6 or higher. On average, successful matriculants — students who are accepted and enroll — have higher GPAs than other applicants. These averages provide a good benchmark for what medical schools consider competitive.
What is the problem with the US news college rankings?
Critics say the rankings, which began in 1983 and have long been considered the gold standard, are biased toward selective private universities, are too easily manipulated by the schools themselves and fail to capture the breadth of a school's offerings.
Why is Oberlin ranked so low?
Retention and faculty resources—which, when combined, today constitute 45 percent of the total score—explain most of why Oberlin fell in the rankings after 1989. While Oberlin's overall rank has averaged 21 since 1989, it averages 34 in faculty resources and 42 (but improving) in retention.
Why did Columbia drop in rankings?
In 2022, Columbia's ranking dropped to No. 18 after Michael Thaddeus, professor of mathematics, called into question the accuracy of Columbia's data on class sizes and the number of faculty members with terminal degrees.
Why did U.S. News rankings change?
The most impactful methodology change for National Universities was the removal of six-year bachelor's graduation rates of first-generation students as a ranking factor (that is, the rate at which a cohort of students graduate in the six-year period after enrollment), replaced by up-weighting the two indicators on Pell ...
Does U.S. News rank private high schools?
U.S. News only ranks public high schools, including public charter and public magnet schools. Private schools have different structures, testing requirements and data reporting requirements from public schools. For example, generally speaking, private school students don't take state assessment tests.
Who owns U.S. News?
U.S. News is headquartered in Washington, D.C. with advertising, sales and corporate offices in New York and New Jersey. The company is privately owned by Mortimer B. Zuckerman.
Is U.S. News University ranking accurate?
US News is probably the most popular source out there for college rankings. While US News rankings of colleges purport to be highly accurate, they can be misleading in certain important respects. If you make decisions based purely on the US News college rankings, you might end up being miserable.
Is John Hopkins in the Ivy League?
No, Johns Hopkins University is not part of the Ivy League. However, it is world-renowned, particularly for its medical and public health programs.
Is Yale Med better than Harvard Med?
Harvard has outstanding business and medical schools, while Yale is renowned for its school of law. Similarly, Harvard is ranked No. 1 in 12 out of 48 subjects, while Yale is also in the top ten for 12 subjects.
What is a Tier 1 medical school?
Notably, the best medical schools for research and primary care were sorted into four tiers instead of ordinal rankings like they had been previously. Tier 1, which included schools with overall scores of 85–99. Tier 2, which included schools with overall scores of 50–84.
Why did Harvard drop in rankings?
Daley said the decision to withdraw from the U.S. News rankings was based on fairness and equity concerns, citing incentives to cut back on aid to students with the most financial need.
Which is harder to get into, Harvard or Yale?
Yale has a slightly higher acceptance rate at 6.5%, compared to Harvard's 5.3%. Which university has a larger campus and student body? Harvard has a larger campus and student body.
Is MIT better than Harvard?
Harvard leads in employer reputation, academic reputation, and its international research network, making it an excellent choice for students aiming for top-tier academic and research environments. On the other hand, MIT is ranked No. 2, with an overall score of 94.4.