US News 2023-24 rankings

US News' 2023-24 changes its formulas for rating universities and colleges, tries to better calculate the upward-mobility impact of the schools, cuts back or eliminates other factors such as HS ranking. Cornell is No. 12, up 5 spots, tied with Columbia, ahead of Dartmouth.

US News has lots of breakouts, both to help HS students and parents to better understand their options. Also, with regional university and liberal-arts-school breakouts, there are more No. 1 schools and more top 10 schools. Bentley is No. 1 among Regional Universities North, pushing Providence down to No. 2. But that's better than being, what, No. 101 among all national universities? Ithaca is No. 13 in that grouping.

Cornell climbs to No. 12 in the 20213-24 US News ranking of US universities, was 17th. Princeton replaces Harvard at No. 1. The Ivies rank 1-3-5-6-9-12-12-18.


The top National Universities:
1. Princeton University
2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
3T. Harvard University
3T. Stanford University
5. Yale University
6. Penn
7T. Cal Tech
7T. Duke
9T. Brown
9T. Johns Hopkins
9T. Northwestern
12T. Columbia
12T. Cornell
12T. Chicago
15T. Berkeley
15T. UCLA
17. Rice
18T. Dartmouth
18T. Vanderbilt
20. Notre Dame
21. Michigan
22T. Georgetown
22T. UNC Chapel Hill
24T. Carnegie Mellon
24T. Emory
24T. Virginia
24T. Washington U St Louis
...
Other schools of interest esp. nearby states, Cornell sports competitors. The four main SUNYs rank 58 to 133.
30. Bucknell
35T. NYU
39. BC
40T. Rutgers
40T. Tufts
43. BU
47T. Lehigh
47T. Rochester
58T. SUNY Stony Brook
58T. UConn
60T. Penn State
60T. RPI
67T. Syracuse
67T. UMass Amherst
73T. SUNY Binghamton
76T. SUNY Buffalo
82T. Chicago
86T. NJIT
98T. RIT
133T. SUNY Albany
133T. Vermont
142. Clarkson
151. Rhode Island
170. Quinnipiac

Other rankings:
National Liberal Arts Colleges:
1. Williams College
2. Amherst College
3. United States Naval Academy
4-5-6T. Pomona College
4-5-6. Swarthmore College
4-5-6T. Wellesley College
...
16. Hamilton
21. Colgate
30. Lafayette
45. Union
59. St. Lawrence
137. Keuka
146. Wells


2024 Top Public Schools: National Universities – Top 3
1. University of California, Berkeley (tie)
1. University of California, Los Angeles (tie)
3. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

2024 Top Public Schools: National Liberal Arts Colleges – Top 3
1. United States Naval Academy (MD)
2. United States Air Force Academy (CO)
3. United States Military Academy at West Point (NY)

2024 Top Performers on Social Mobility: National Universities – Top 3
1. California State University, Long Beach
2. California State University, Fullerton (tie)
2. California State University, Riverside (tie)
4. California State University, San Bernardino (tie)
4. University of California, Merced (tie)

2024 Top Performers on Social Mobility: National Liberal Arts Colleges – Top 3
1. Lake Forest College (IL)
2. Agnes Scott College (GA) (tie)
2. Salem College (NC) (tie)
2. Spelman College (GA)

Regional Universities North
1. Bentley
2. Providence
3. RISD
4. TCNJ (The College of New Jersey)
5. Scranton
...
7. Elmira
12. SUNY Geneseo
13. Ithaca
30. SUNY Oneonta

Note how well Massachusetts fares: 2 of the top 5 universities, 3 of the top 5 (actually 6 with ties) liberal arts schools, the top women's school (Wellesley).

-----------------------

Cornell graduate programs
7. Computer Science
7T. Physics
8. English
9. Psychology
10. Medicine
11. History (even without Walter LaFeber)
11T. Chemistry
13. Law
13. Engineering
13T. Statistics
14. Economics
14T. Math
15. Political Science
16. Sociology
17. Biological Sciences (Weill)
20. Earth Sciences
39. Public Affairs
53. Fine Arts

The main 2023-24 US News story. Links inside the story. [www.usnews.com]

Plus ca change, sniffs the New York Times. Its subtitle: "Responding to critics, the publication made its biggest changes to its method in four decades. But it’s unclear whether that is enough to quiet the naysayers."

[www.nytimes.com]

I don’t really care about any of this, but funny that Dartmouth is in last place lol

We were #7 when I was there. Penn had a 40% acceptance rate as well.

BearLover
I don’t really care about any of this, but funny that Dartmouth is in last place lol

You care, you really care.

7. Computer Science
53. Fine Arts

Woof. The triumph of animal training over education.

How many National Universities are there in the survey, or equivalently how close to the bottom is QU?

What is the difference between 12T Chicago and 82T Chicago besides for 70 places (not counting the ties)? My guess is that 82T once had a hockey team, but I didn't know that they are considered a National University.

ursusminor
How many National Universities are there in the survey, or equivalently how close to the bottom is QU?

What is the difference between 12T Chicago and 82T Chicago besides for 70 places (not counting the ties)? My guess is that 82T once had a hockey team, but I didn't know that they are considered a National University.

U of I Chicago includes one of the four med schools (in the U of I system), the dental school, the pharmacy school and the school of nursing. The merger was designed to raise the cred of University of Chicago, Circle Campus. At the time I don't think the med school was in favor of the change. Up to 82!

billhoward

BearLover
I don’t really care about any of this, but funny that Dartmouth is in last place lol

You care, you really care.

For everyone else who doesn't care, Dartmouth beats us here! But take heart, Brown is #67.

ursusminor
How many National Universities are there in the survey, or equivalently how close to the bottom is QU?

US News does about 2500 four-year schools. The Journal does 400.

billhoward

ursusminor
How many National Universities are there in the survey, or equivalently how close to the bottom is QU?

US News does about 2500 four-year schools. The Journal does 400.

If past performance predicted future results Brown would be off WSJ list in a short order.

marty
If past performance predicted future results Brown would be off WSJ list in a short order.

If every ratings service -- US News, WSJ, Forbes -- shows similar standings, it begs the question of how any one service stands out. Except the Journal and US News, at least, are trying to be more relevant and this year's relevance means trying to remove the advantages -- privileges -- of an affluent family or a good school, etcetera, and focus on how much intelligence the school adds and how good your salary is relative to what a cohort of your high school peers who stopped after grade 12, turn out.

US News has more breakouts by region, big school, small school, HBCU, public school, etcetera. That means more schools can say -- correction, license the ability to say -- "We're No. 1" or "Top Ten New England [or Northeast] school!" Providence last year, Bryant Bentley this year is tops in the region as a "regional university" which means they don't have to fight Harvard or MIT; they have their own ranking.

billhoward
Providence last year, Bryant this year is tops in the region as a "regional university" which means they don't have to fight Harvard or MIT; they have their own ranking.

But earlier you said Bentley.

RichH

billhoward
Providence last year, Bryant this year is tops in the region as a "regional university" which means they don't have to fight Harvard or MIT; they have their own ranking.

But earlier you said Bentley.

Yes, Bentley, No. 1. Bryant is No. 6 this year. Also: Midwest, Butler (still can't believe Gordon Hayward just missed the half-court shot that would've beaten Duke for the 2010 NCAA basketball title). South, Rollins. West, California Polytechnic State University--San Luis Obispo (see them squeeze that on a jersey).

billhoward

RichH

billhoward
Providence last year, Bryant this year is tops in the region as a "regional university" which means they don't have to fight Harvard or MIT; they have their own ranking.

But earlier you said Bentley.

Yes, Bentley, No. 1. Bryant is No. 6 this year. Also: Midwest, Butler (still can't believe Gordon Hayward just missed the half-court shot that would've beaten Duke for the 2010 NCAA basketball title). South, Rollins. West, California Polytechnic State University--San Luis Obispo (see them squeeze that on a jersey).

Holy hell, what a campus.

Then there's UC Santa Barbara. Warren Buffet partner Charlie Munger endowed a 500-person dorm where 19 of every 20 rooms is an inside room, no windows to the outside. [www.cnn.com] One architect on the project quit:

CNN
“The basic concept of Munger Hall as a place for students to live is unsupportable from my perspective as an architect, a parent and a human being,” California architect Dennis McFadden wrote.

It is No. 35 on the top universities list, higher than any SUNY. [www.usnews.com]

Dorm floor plan:

That's a dorm not suitable for humans.

Jeff Hopkins '82
That's a dorm not suitable for humans.

Engineering students, then? No human would put up with that workload.

In defense of a no-windows dorm room, I believe they have light-balanced "portholes" that mimic daylight or the changing colors and color temperatures of the sun-up part of the day. It also appears that there is a pod of 8 affiliated students and each appears to have their own room and study area. Nice if one is lucky enough to get a sleepover date.

billhoward

Jeff Hopkins '82
That's a dorm not suitable for humans.

Engineering students, then? No human would put up with that workload.

In defense of a no-windows dorm room, I believe they have light-balanced "portholes" that mimic daylight or the changing colors and color temperatures of the sun-up part of the day. It also appears that there is a pod of 8 affiliated students and each appears to have their own room and study area. Nice if one is lucky enough to get a sleepover date.

Mimic daylight. As in exact wavelengths and brightness? Doubtful.

billhoward
Then there's UC Santa Barbara.

<billhoward digression in his own thread redacted>

It is No. 35 on the top universities list, higher than any SUNY. [www.usnews.com]

On the UCSB page, it says in-state tuition + fees are $14881. Then it mentions #35 in top universities is #207 in “best value schools.” Who’s #1 in value? $59,000 Harvard. Because it only costs $15k “after receiving grants.” 54% receive these “grants.”

<closes tab forever>

RichH
On the UCSB page, it says in-state tuition + fees are $14881. Then it mentions #35 in top universities is #207 in “best value schools.” Who’s #1 in value? $59,000 Harvard. Because it only costs $15k “after receiving grants.” 54% receive these “grants.”

Did you see the footnote clarifying, "For those who get in; otherwise S.O.L."?

I believe "mimic" is the right word, more or less. Similar to "virtual" reality.

billhoward
Then there's UC Santa Barbara. Warren Buffet partner Charlie Munger endowed a 500-person dorm where 19 of every 20 rooms is an inside room, no windows to the outside. [www.cnn.com] One architect on the project quit:

CNN
“The basic concept of Munger Hall as a place for students to live is unsupportable from my perspective as an architect, a parent and a human being,” California architect Dennis McFadden wrote.

It is No. 35 on the top universities list, higher than any SUNY. [www.usnews.com]

Dorm floor plan:

My dorm room at UCSB in '91-'92 had windows, although it did have the bed lofted to make room for the desk and mini-fridge underneath.

The worst thing about living in the dorms was that the meal plan was mandatory. They claimed it was #2 in the nation behind Cornell, but there must have been a huge dropoff from #1.

The best thing was that I could hear the ocean if I left my window open at night.

billhoward

RichH

billhoward
Providence last year, Bryant this year is tops in the region as a "regional university" which means they don't have to fight Harvard or MIT; they have their own ranking.

But earlier you said Bentley.

Yes, Bentley, No. 1. Bryant is No. 6 this year. Also: Midwest, Butler (still can't believe Gordon Hayward just missed the half-court shot that would've beaten Duke for the 2010 NCAA basketball title). South, Rollins. West, California Polytechnic State University--San Luis Obispo (see them squeeze that on a jersey).

Long-time HOCKEY-Ler Tony Buffa, RPI '64 was a physics prof at Cal Poly SLO back when I was in grad school at UCSB: [physics.calpoly.edu]

jtwcornell91

billhoward

RichH

billhoward
Providence last year, Bryant this year is tops in the region as a "regional university" which means they don't have to fight Harvard or MIT; they have their own ranking.

But earlier you said Bentley.

Yes, Bentley, No. 1. Bryant is No. 6 this year. Also: Midwest, Butler (still can't believe Gordon Hayward just missed the half-court shot that would've beaten Duke for the 2010 NCAA basketball title). South, Rollins. West, California Polytechnic State University--San Luis Obispo (see them squeeze that on a jersey).

Long-time HOCKEY-Ler Tony Buffa, RPI '64 was a physics prof at Cal Poly SLO back when I was in grad school at UCSB: [physics.calpoly.edu]

He still posts on the RPI Sports mailing list.