Marquette No. 83 In New US News Ranking

[MuggsyB]

Isn't Calculus 101 basically the same everywhere?

No, and that goes for all "101" courses.

It may not be the same from one Ivy league school to another. 

[MuggsyB]

Really, 83?

Didn't they hear, Wojo is gone!

Seriously, I believe these USN&WR rankings are as about as valuable as the electricity used to support the digital signal that enables me to read it (I used to say paper it's printed on but...). U.S. News is a failing newsmagazine that, even in its day, was third behind Time and Newsweek.

The college rankings are a gimmick. Period. They're about the only way USN&WR has to generate income, so they invest in them. The publication would be out of business were it not for this gimmick. The authors talk about "all the quantitative analysis" they do but it's essentially assigning an arbitrary number to certain qualitative factors that they believe drives goodness.

I truly feel sorry for anyone who takes this garbage seriously, including our beloved Marquette University. It's a vanity play and while I don't doubt a few dozen people will choose colleges based on what a failing newsmagazine says, I would hope a far more thorough examination of the university's advantages and the student's ability is the basis for making a college choice.

Because I'm recent to the college process, I learned. My daughter was accepted by a very fine institution that ranked far ahead of the college where she ended up. But the school she chose was right for her and that's where she went.

True dat, good points. There are also a number of things colleges have done over the years to inflate their USN&WR rankings. 

[WhiteTrash]

Let's also remember that a lot of college courses are graded on a curve so someone who would score a 60% on an Ivy League level test at a CC might get an A, as opposed to failing.

I think CCs are great but the level of competition and teaching is not the same.

[Billy Hoyle]

USNWR rankings were pretty new when I was looking at schools. They never came into consideration. What my dad was more focused when I was applying on was admission rates, and average GPA and SAT/ACT. He felt that was a more accurate measure of the quality of the school and the student body. He wouldn't sign my application to Xavier until I got a response from MU as it was harder to get into than X.

Of course, now grade inflation is rampant, SAT scores can't be used because they're unfair, and the use of the Common App helps lower admission rates.

[Dish]

#83nation

I see what you did here.

[MuggsyB]

Let's also remember that a lot of college courses are graded on a curve so someone who would score a 60% on an Ivy League level test at a CC might get an A, as opposed to failing.

I'm confused here.  Are you saying CC's have Ivy league level calculus courses that are graded on a curve?

[Mu8891]

Personally... as a grad ... I wish mu
was higher ...

And, for those that say it doesn't
" matter " ... maybe not.  But MU is certainly touting it on FB and Linked
In, so they must think it matters to some degree

[GooooMarquette]

Personally... as a grad ... I wish mu
was higher ...

And, for those that say it doesn't
" matter " ... maybe not.  But MU is certainly touting it on FB and Linked
In, so they must think it matters to some degree

Yep. Here's how I look at it:

They matter because people (especially prospective students and their parents) think they matter. That doesn't mean they are right or serve as a good gauge of the education a kid would get at a given school, because they are a rough gauge for that, at best. But they still matter.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

The real question is,  do they matta?

[MuggsyB]

Yep. Here's how I look at it:

They matter because people (especially prospective students and their parents) think they matter. That doesn't mean they are right or serve as a good gauge of the education a kid would get at a given school, because they are a rough gauge for that, at best. But they still matter.

How are you Gooo?  I disagree with you with a caveat.  I think they matter when it comes to the top 20 or so schools.  You know it's talked about constantly in "the elite" circles from the faculty, to the students, and their parents.  If their kid goes to say Johns Hopkins rated 12 in lieu of Princeton  rated 2, or whatever, it seriously bothers these people.  When you get to like I dunno...30 to 100?  40 to 100?   I honestly don't think it means all that much.  It's also literally impossible to compare a large state school with a smallish University. 

[Porky's Butthole]

How are you Gooo?  I disagree with you with a caveat.  I think they matter when it comes to the top 20 or so schools.  You know it's talked about constantly in "the elite" circles from the faculty, to the students, and their parents.  If their kid goes to say Johns Hopkins rated 12 in lieu of Princeton  rated 2, or whatever, it seriously bothers these people.  When you get to like I dunno...30 to 100?  40 to 100?   I honestly don't think it means all that much.  It's also literally impossible to compare a large state school with a smallish University.

It shouldn't but it does even 40-100.    If higher education still cost what it did in the 80's and early 90's it probably wouldn't, but it doesn't so folks use this to justify the expense/value/payoff.   Goo said it best.....It matters because people think it does.  Whether or not they're right unfortunately isn't relevant from an institution's perspective.  As Porky has said many times, we may all think it's nonsense but the market disagrees.

[MuggsyB]

It shouldn't but it does even 40-100.    If higher education still cost what it did in the 80's and early 90's it probably wouldn't, but it doesn't so folks use this to justify the expense/value/payoff.   Goo said it best.....It matters because people think it does.  Whether or not they're right unfortunately isn't relevant from an institution's perspective.  As Porky has said many times, we may all think it's nonsense but the market disagrees.

That's fair.  But because people perceive that something matters, if it actually doesn't matter, is it a false perception?

[Uncle Rico]

Superbar

[WhiteTrash]

Let's also remember that a lot of college courses are graded on a curve so someone who would score a 60% on an Ivy League level test at a CC might get an A, as opposed to failing.

I'm confused here.  Are you saying CC's have Ivy league level calculus courses that are graded on a curve?

I'm saying that in math/calculus the answer is the answer.  It doesn't matter where you take the class but your ability to pass a class matters where you take the class.

[MuggsyB]

I'm saying that in math/calculus the answer is the answer.  It doesn't matter where you take the class but your ability to pass a class matters where you take the class.

Hmmm.  I understand that in math/calculus "the answer is the answer".  However,  the specific problems to solve within a math or calculus class may be vastly different.  Now, if they are literally teaching from the same text book at a CC and an Ivy school for a Calc 101 course I totally get your point.  My contention is they are not. 

[WhiteTrash]

Hmmm.  I understand that in math/calculus "the answer is the answer".  However,  the specific problems to solve within a math or calculus class may be vastly different.  Now, if they are literally teaching from the same text book at a CC and an Ivy school for a Calc 101 course I totally get your point.  My contention is they are not.

I agree.

[TallTitan34]

I see what you did here.

Was hoping someone would!

[leever]

There is simply no way we are making the tournament ranked #83!   

[MUDPT]

Was hoping someone would!

Me too.

[The Equalizer]

WSJ rankings out today.  In general, the Big East doesn't fare well in their methodology--MU ranks 164 per their list.


9 Northwestern
14 University of Chicago
17 Wash U St Louis
28 Notre Dame
24 Michigan
32 Georgetown
45 Illinois
48 Purdue
58 Madison
81 Michigan State (tie)
91 UIC
97 Indiana
103 Uconn
107 IIT
113 St Louis
128 Villanova
136 Drake
143 Creighton
164 Marquette
169 Iowa
177 Loyola Chicago
202 Detroit
210 Michigan Tech
212 Butler
219 Iowa St
219 Providence
223 Valparaiso
231 DePaul
231 Dayton
273 St. Johns
279 Seton Hall
317 IUPUI
356 Xavier

[Avenue Commons]

MU would be a lot higher if they did not sell of the Medical School.

[Newsdreams]

WSJ rankings out today.  In general, the Big East doesn't fare well in their methodology--MU ranks 164 per their list.


9 Northwestern
14 University of Chicago
17 Wash U St Louis
28 Notre Dame
24 Michigan
32 Georgetown
45 Illinois
48 Purdue
58 Madison
81 Michigan State (tie)
91 UIC
97 Indiana
103 Uconn
107 IIT
113 St Louis
128 Villanova
136 Drake
143 Creighton
164 Marquette
169 Iowa
177 Loyola Chicago
202 Detroit
210 Michigan Tech
212 Butler
219 Iowa St
219 Providence
223 Valparaiso
231 DePaul
231 Dayton
273 St. Johns
279 Seton Hall
317 IUPUI
356 Xavier

Their metrics might go more for financial even more than the US ranking. Not having football does hurt (not teal)

[Scoop Snoop]

MU would be a lot higher if they did not sell of the Medical School.

I remember the university trying to avoid having to sell but the med school was hemorrhaging red ink. The current day nostalgia/revisionist history on Scoop conveniently ignores that and there seems to be an assumption that the decision was taken lightly. I was there and can assure you that it was not. One of my brothers was in the last class and Linus Pauling, a well known scientist and winner of 2 Nobel prizes, was the commencement speaker at the last graduation. The school was briefly called Marquette School of Medicine Inc. after the sale but at least one politician objected so the Marquette name was removed

[Herman Cain]

MU would be a lot higher if they did not sell of the Medical School.

One of the three big blunders in MU History.

[Porky's Butthole]

One of the three big blunders in MU History.

What are the other two?