Arizona Schools Rising To The Best Of American Universities
Arizona State University has moved up three slots to No. 121 in a widely watched ranking of American colleges and is listed as an “up-and-coming school,” a new category that recognizes universities that have made striking improvements or innovations.
The annual rankings of 262 universities were released today by U.S. News & World Report. Harvard University is No. 1 again this year followed by Princeton and Yale universities. University of Arizona is ranked No. 96, the same as last year, while Northern Arizona University is an unranked school in the fourth tier.
A separate list that looks at only the top 50 public universities ranks UA at No. 45. ASU and NAU did not make that list.
U.S. News & World Report added an “up-and-coming schools” category where ASU is listed alongside schools such as George Mason and Clemson universities and the University of Southern California. Schools in this category are described as “not at the top of the rankings yet but tops for innovation.”
ASU President Michael Crow said rankings are a sensitive issue because they tend to favor elite institutions. Still, he is pleased where ASU ended up.
“We are where we would like to be,” he said.
The rankings judge schools on factors such as class size, student-faculty ratio, alumni contributions and the percentage of students who graduate. How a college is viewed by peer universities also plays a large role.
The rankings have come under fire from some university presidents, who feel the factors used to calculate them favor rich, private schools. For instance, schools can get more points toward their rankings by having tougher admission policies. Schools with more liberal admission policies get dinged.
Despite the criticism, universities that do well on the list often use the rankings in marketing efforts to attract top students and faculty. The annual report also ranks individual schools within universities such as law, engineering and business.
Credits: AZCentral.com
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