"I have always believed," Dean of the College Nancy Weiss Malkiel told the 'Prince,' "that the U.S. News rankings are of very limited value." But if the magazine insists on ranking, Malkiel said it was "gratifying" to see Princeton at the top of the list.
Indeed, it seems that Malkiel was not alone in thinking the rankings were nice, as the University's web site featured the news that Princeton was number one for the fifth straight year as its lead announcement for several days.
Observers could be forgiven for wondering just what Princeton officials think of the ratings. Good news? Bad news?
Clearly, they're big news.
The issue is a boon for the magazine. The rankings issue outsells other their average at newsstands by up to 40 percent. The rankings generate traffic to the magazine's web site as nervous high schoolers look for guidance about where to go.
U.S. News is frequently badmouthed by college administrators and other critics for being superficial, trying to quantify the unquantifiable, or just out to sell more magazines.
They have a point. Any system that compares Princeton and Caltech as if they were the same type of school must be more than a little fishy. And the emphasis on stats encourages colleges that feel swept up by the ratings game to maximize key data, such as the yield and SAT scores.
But even though the lists contain information only slightly more useful to the college applicant than gazing at picture of Nassau Hall, the number one ranking undeniably offers the school a certain cachet. Prospective students — and their parents — rattle off the rankings like a shopping list: Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Penn, Duke. When people say Princeton's the best school it carries a certain weight even if no one mentions U.S. News. Everyone knows.
No student should ever choose a college based on magazine rankings. And while Malkiel and others rightly decry the sensationalism of the rankings, the University's quick announcement of its continuing triumph belies the truth of the matter: However flawed the system, it's good to be number one.
Read More
The CPUC must not gut its Judicial Committee
Bill HewittEnding the Judicial Committee’s jurisdiction over initial complaints would embolden abuses of power, allowing the administration to evade accountability for University rule violations without the pressure of student and faculty authority.
Ending the Judicial Committee’s jurisdiction over initial complaints would embolden abuses of power, allowing the administration to evade accountability for University rule violations without the pressure of student and faculty authority.
Princeton, let’s adopt a digital prox
Jorge ReyesTo prevent pointless replacement and lockout charges, maximize convenience, and create better access to meals and facilities, Princeton should follow the precedent set by some of its peers and adopt a digital prox system.
To prevent pointless replacement and lockout charges, maximize convenience, and create better access to meals and facilities, Princeton should follow the precedent set by some of its peers and adopt a digital prox system.
What is a Princeton degree really for?
Joel IbabaoSo what, in the end, is a Princeton degree really for? I take a more moderate view: Students should prioritize earning potential — unless they feel irresistibly called to something else.
So what, in the end, is a Princeton degree really for? I take a more moderate view: Students should prioritize earning potential — unless they feel irresistibly called to something else.