US News methodology

September 7, 2007 1:35 PM

Two Questions about US News Best National Universities Rankings.

1. Anyone have a link (preferably to the usnews.com website) explaining how the peer assessment score is measured for the Best National Universities 2008 ranking?

2. Also, don't most private schools not disclose whether their students are in the top 10%? How does US News deal with this?

posted by JamesJD to Education (7 answers total)

Response by poster: Actually, I just found the answer to #1, anyone know about #2?
posted by JamesJD at 1:37 PM on September 7, 2007

Response by poster: http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/usnews/edu/college/rankings/about/weight_brief_2.php
The answer to #1.
posted by JamesJD at 1:37 PM on September 7, 2007

This may not be a direct answer to your question, but the NY Times recently wrote an interesting article casting some light on how the US News rankings are compiled.
posted by triggerfinger at 2:14 PM on September 7, 2007

Peer assessment is done the same way in all categories, it's not any different in national univs. And it is A LOT of work for all schools involved, which is one of many reasons why my laudable alma mater, Reed College, doesn't participate, and hasn't in years.
posted by ethnomethodologist at 2:39 PM on September 7, 2007

If Reed is anything like (I was told) it was thirty years ago, most students from Princeton wouldn't last one semester.

Here's hoping it's still like it was thirty years ago.
posted by IndigoJones at 5:05 PM on September 7, 2007

Here's the guy you want to ask about that.
posted by brownpau at 6:29 PM on September 7, 2007

I think it's possible that schools do disclose average ACT/SAT scores. In that case, it might be possible for USNWR to extrapolate student rankings.
posted by achmorrison at 6:59 AM on September 12, 2007