2015 College Rankings

[bbtds]

Here's some more info on how US News ranks colleges:


http://www.theonion.com/articles/how-us-news-ranks-colleges,33959/


I particularly enjoyed Step #8.

[vu72]

Would love to see the Academic Reputation score up in the 90's, otherwise it's great to see us in the top 2!

[/b]

Not sure how this is determined, but I checked some other schools and found the following Academic Reputations:

Purdue    57
Wake Forest  76
Notre Dame  83
Vanderbilt  84
Cornell  85
Northwestern 89

Makes our 86 look pretty solid!   

[78crusader]

I think they do these academic ratings based on your peer group.  Butler scored a 96 (which is really impressive).  That doesn't mean Butler is ahead of, say, Notre Dame, which scored an 83.  ND is in a different peer group -- Cal, Harvard, Univ of Chicago, etc.  VU is in the midwest regional college peer group.

Our score of 86 is good, darn good, but could be and should be higher. 

Paul

[VULB#62]

Here's some more info on how US News ranks colleges:


http://www.theonion.com/articles/how-us-news-ranks-colleges,33959/


I particularly enjoyed Step #8.

Gotta love the Onion   

[valpopal]

Business Insider has ranked the "600 Smartest Colleges in America," and Valpo comes in at 221: http://www.businessinsider.com/smartest-colleges-in-america-2014-10

[wh]

Business Insider has ranked the "600 Smartest Colleges in America," and Valpo comes in at 221: http://www.businessinsider.com/smartest-colleges-in-america-2014-10

I know our Valpo grads always like to look at who's ranked higher by whatever measure (the negative perspective).  Here's the way I would look at things, if I were you:

Higher education, also referred to as post-secondary education, third stage, third level, or tertiary education occurs most commonly at one of the 4,599 title IV degree-granting institutions, either colleges or universities in the country.[1] These may be public universities, private universities, liberal arts colleges, or community colleges.

...which places Valpo at the 95th percentile or top 5%, had they bothered to rank the other 3999 schools. Congratulations, Valpo guys.  You have a lot to be proud of (or, a lot of which to be proud - for stl's benefit ).

[crusadermoe]

The campus is much more impressive looking than 10-15 years ago.   No doubt the finances sound better and keeping us in the race for top students.

Harder to evaluate is whether the students feel the place has a real identity.    You know the old story about the blind men and the elephant and how each thought the elephant was something different.   

The greek system was the mixer in my day.   (yeah "my day"... I sound like Dana Carvey's SNL "old man".   Back then in the 80s, everyone walked hither and yon across tundras, busted pavement et al to engineering, business, old campus, nursing, and ed buildings.   But then you hit the weekend and it was casual mixing on Mound, intramurals, and some BBall  games in Hilltop.  Good memories.   Where does that occur now?   In the music practice rooms?

[vu72]

Valpo ranks No. 3 Nationally by Washington Monthly! (out of 671)

Here's their methodology:

About the Rankings: We rate schools based on their contribution to the public good in three broad categories: Social Mobility (recruiting and graduating low-income students), Research (producing cutting-edge scholarship and PhDs), and Service (encouraging students to give something back to their country).

[historyman]

Also from Washington Monthly:

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/magazine/septemberoctober_2014/features/americas_worst_colleges051752.php?page=all



AMERICA'S WORST COLLEGES

The simplest way to define a bad college is as a place that charges students large amounts of money, probably financed by debt they cannot afford, to receive an education so terrible that most students drop out before graduation. Translated in the parlance of federal statistics, that means a high "net price" (tuition minus grants and scholarships), high average student debt, a high "cohort default rate" (a federal measure that tracks the percentage of each college's freshman class that defaults on their student loans within three years of beginning to repay them), and a low graduation rate.













The high quality of America's best colleges creates a strong public belief that all U.S. institutions of higher education must be of similar quality. Top colleges lists reinforce this assumption, while the obsession over admissions sucks up all the air in public debates over college quality. This is a boon for those schools that are decidedly not world-class and that struggle with debt, cost, and completion. They fly under the radar with little attention and unearned positive reputations. And only the students who have the misfortune to enroll at one of these places find out the truth. If we want to improve national attainment and deal with college cost, that cannot continue. It's time to get these colleges some attention by putting them at the top of the list.

[valpotx]

Wow, that is harsh that they create a Worst list!!!

[bbtds]

If we want to improve national attainment and deal with college cost, that cannot continue. It's time to get these colleges some attention by putting them at the top of the list.

If we want to improve national attainment and deal with college cost, that cannot continue. It's time to get these colleges some attention by putting them at the top of the list.

I agree that colleges that rip off students should be held accountable. Especially since it's us, the citizens, who underwrite these defaulted loans through our paying taxes to the government.

[vu72]

More good news.  collegechoice.net has ranked Valpo number 2 Midwest Regional University and number one Christian University in the nation!

Here are the top 10 Midwest Regional Universities:

1. Creighton
2. Valpo
3. John Carroll
4. Bradley
5. Butler
6. Xavier
7. Drake
8. Evansville
9. Milwaukee School of Engineering
10. Rockhurst

Perhaps most interesting is the ranking for Christian Universities.  Note:  Catholic colleges, (where Villanova was ranked No.1 and Notre Dame No. 2) are listed in a separated category.  We'll let Apostle lead the discussion there!

Here's the top 10:

1. Valpo
2. Samford
3. Union
4. Pepperdine
5. Whitworth
6. Augsburg
7. Belmont
8. Pacific Lutheran
9. Lipscomb
10. Gustavus Adolphus

I found it interesting that a school like Wheaton was only ranked No. 14.

We are clearly getting noticed in a very positive way by more and more publications.  Congrats to the faculty and administration--and, certainly, to the students!!

[valpotx]

Neat to see such things.  You can't complain if you are ever ranked ahead of Pepperdine, as that is a really good school.

[a3uge]

Are we certain Gustavus Adolphus is an actual school?

[vu72]

Are we certain Gustavus Adolphus is an actual school?

Actually, yes!  As a person who spent a bunch of years in Minnesota, and who knew several "Gusties" at my church, I can assure you that it is a real place! In fact Valpo has played them in basketball starting in the 1927-28 season and most recently in 78-79.  Fortunately, we are undefeated with an overall record of 4-0!!

[setshot]

Gustie is the alma mater of James McPherson, Pulitzer Prize winning author of BATTLE CRY OF FREEDOM. and retired professor at Princeton. I ran a regional office for a publishing company and lived in Princeton for four years. .As a Civil War buff I knew of McPherson and was able to attend a few of his seminars. Fantastic!

[vu84v2]

Valpo ranks No. 3 Nationally by Washington Monthly! (out of 671)

Here's their methodology:

About the Rankings: We rate schools based on their contribution to the public good in three broad categories: Social Mobility (recruiting and graduating low-income students), Research (producing cutting-edge scholarship and PhDs), and Service (encouraging students to give something back to their country).

First, I think Valpo is a great school and one of the best teaching schools in the country. However, this comment about Washington Monthly's methodology points to the problematic methods for ranking universities. I would rate Valpo very high in the Service category, but the other two seem somewhat questionable. While there are examples of good research work at Valpo, there is no reasonable way to think that Valpo compares to Tier 1 research schools. Furthermore, they have very few (if any) PhD students. This is not a bad thing...because Valpo recognizes that its mission is teaching and helping young people develop. Additionally, while Valpo probably does the best it can, I probably wouldn't argue for Valpo being among the top-third in recruiting low-income students (though I am sure that the ones they do recruit and award scholarships to have a high probability of graduating).

[vu72]

So Forbes just released their rankings of the top 650 colleges/universities in America.  To put this in perspective, understand that there are probably 4000 places for post secondary education.  While clearly there are schools who should be ranked lower then Valpo on this list it is still always an interesting study.  I started with The Horizon League and found the following ranking:  Out of 650, YSU made it at #649!!!!! Next came WSU at # 634, CSU at #641, Northern Kentucky at #626, Milwaukee at #606, Oakland at #529 and UIC at # 355.  Next comes us at #234.  Detroit and Green Bay did not make the top 650.  In Detroit's case either I missed something or they missed something.  Green Bay?  nuff said.

At #234 we ranked a head of well known state schools like Kansas and Alabama as well as privates like Evansville at #310, DePaul at #291, Loyola at # 294 or Butler at #241.

At the same time Valpo's sticker price in nearly $4000 less then Butler's and nearly $20,000 a year less then The University of Chicago!!

[usc4valpo]

Drake and Denver at 143 and 145? You have to be kidding me.

[usc4valpo]

I wonder how they rank these these schools. Iowa State ranked below Iowa? Please.

[Valpo18]

I wonder how they rank these these schools. Iowa State ranked below Iowa? Please.

I take these rankings with a grain of salt. Schools have their strong majors and colleges and their weak ones. Kind of hard to compare most schools imo.

[crusader05]

I believe Forbes looked mostly at return on investment and debt repayment. Not surprising Valpo scored high. Debt repayment is often higher at private schools because students there are more likely to complete the four years which is the highest indicator of debt repayment and with two strong colleges in Engineering and Nursing that helps with return on investment.

[wh]

The easiest way to become disenchanted with the legitimacy of a survey like this is to start questioning specific rankings compared to Valpo's.  IMO the most important takeaway here is that Valpo is ranked higher than 87% of all 4-year colleges and universities in the country.  That is impressive by anyone's standards and something for which Valpo alums should be proud.  This is a Valpo board, so I don't talk about my alma mater, but let me just say I would love to be where you are.

wh   

[vu72]

Valpo again No. 1 in Washington Monthly ranking!

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/college_guide/rankings-2015/masters-universities-rank.php

[valpo64]

Regardless of the sources, these rankings should be made known  to prospective students, including athletic recruits.  I noticed we were well ahead of Gonzaga in the one list.  I would think the University is doing this already.