Best Colleges Reputation Surveys Go Out

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Misplaced the peer assessment survey. Who can I contact to get another survey form?

Rosemary of VT 12:34PM May 11, 2012

U.S. News knows that peer assessments are subjective, but a school's reputation for academic quality is important to prospective students, since they know it could help them get their first job after graduation and make a good impression if they are planning to apply to graduate school.

If that is why reputation is important, then skip the peer survey and simply ask schools for their most recent class' job and graduate school placement rates -- have a minimum % of participation requirement so there is some statistical validity to the data. At a minimum, start asking for the data, even if you don't yet make it part of the rankings, so prospective students and parents have the information.

After all, isn't the primary reason most go to college is to enter into some profession/occupation?

RJ of MA 11:09AM April 25, 2012

Peer rankings are but one of the many pieces of information students and parents must gather in the college decision making process. As parents of high school seniors and students decide among the acceptances, the question of the value of the elite (and most costly) schools comes into play. Consider the advice of authors Claudia Dreifus and Andrew Hacker in their book " Higher Education? How Colleges Are Wasting Our Money and Failing Our Kids – And What We Can Do About It". Their conclusion is that many of America’s colleges and universities, especially the elite, are not worth their cost. It is their belief that the elite colleges serve their faculty at the expense of the students.

http://mvpcollegefunding.com/2012/04/19/are-elite-name-colleges-worth-the-cost/

Dick Joseph of MA 9:38AM April 25, 2012

The survey would be greatly improved if prominent scholars were questioned, as opposed to high-school guidance counselors--whose knowledge is limited and parochial at best. Most know their local 'State U' and Harvard and little else.

Alternatively, counselors from the best-performing schools could have been surveyed, as opposed to everyone and his brother. As it stands, there is a tremendous downward tilt in the information.

Maxentius of CA 8:24PM April 15, 2012

When I studied the Dartmouth College Catalog(Hard copy), I was unable to find a listing of THE DARTMOUTH INSTITUTE. This graduate school arm is responsible for The MS and MPH programs in Healthcare Policy, etc. I do not understand why I can not find them referred to in Graduate School Guides as well. They are not listed thru your Graduate School recommendations. Thank you in advance. Love for USNWR goes deep in our family, for years.

Peter H. Dragonas, M. D.

PETER HENRI DRAGONAS, MD of MA 12:56AM April 14, 2012

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Morse Code: Inside the College Rankings

Robert Morse is director of data research for U.S.News & World Report and has worked at the company since 1976. He develops the methodologies and surveys for the Best Colleges and Best Graduate Schools annual rankings, keeping an eye on higher-education trends to make sure the rankings offer prospective students the best analysis available. Morse Code provides deeper insights into the methodologies and is a forum for commentary and analysis of college, grad, and other rankings.

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