How much would you estimate schools spend to lobby or market to improve their rankings?

The ranking system is sort of lobby-proof. Talking to US News isn’t going to improve your ranking because they’re based on quantitative numbers, a formula, but certainly schools send out brochures, try to raise their profile among other presidents and deans because of the academic survey. I think it’s more subtle how they’re spending money to improve in the rankings. With Washington University or UNC, they may be spending money to improve student services so they get a higher graduation rate. The way to improve in the rankings is through the institution itself, not by lobbying US News, which is actually a good thing because students benefit from that.

How has your formula changed over the last ten to fifteen years?

At the beginning they were 100% reputation, and today they’re 25% reputation and 75% quantitative data, so that’s certainly one change. We’ve de-emphasized admissions data to some degree. We’ve switched the weight to output like graduation and retention rates. We’ve also dropped “yield.” At one point we had yield in the model, but now we don’t.

Which colleges, in your opinion, will be making a jump in the rankings?

Rochester has been falling recently. For the next few years, the rankings are going to be impacted by the recession. States have been cutting the budgets of the some of the major public schools. It’ll be interesting to see whether the UCal schools can maintain their position. It’s unclear whether the tuition increase is going to be enough to cover the budget cuts. They may start taking more out-of-state students. The UCals take almost no out-of-state students, so there’s talk that they’re going to take a greater percent of out-of-state students because their tuition is so much higher. It’s going to be harder for in-state students to get into the publics from their own state as those schools accept or enroll a greater proportion from out of state as a revenue enhancer.

If the UC schools drop in the rankings, who comes up?

Some of the privates who’ve been managed [constructively] may be able to maintain their budgets. Some of the privates’ endowments have really fallen. The way these rules work, you have to average your endowment spending over x number of years, so that will have an impact on their budgets. There are rules: you have to spend 4 or 5% of your endowment each year, so if your endowment is shrinking, that’s why schools like Harvard have to cut back. The point is, it’s hard to know how all these cutbacks and trends are going to impact the rankings because it’s happening in both publics and privates in different ways.

I know that schools have tried to emphasize their alumni giving. That’s how schools game the rankings, by boosting their alumni giving rate. We’re not counting the average contribution; we’re counting the average portion of alumni that are giving – not the amounts. But it’s not a heavily weighted factor.

How do you see the ranking system changing over the next few years?

Using the web, we can create a use-your-own-ranking. Students can develop their own ranking, so if they think the student-faculty ratio is more important than U.S. News does, they can weight our factors using their own weights to come up with where they stand. We’re going to build more interactive features on our website, trying to take advantage of what the internet offers to students.

I think maybe within a few years there will be more outcome measures, more ways of viewing the student experience: student engagement or student learning. That’s what’s missing from the rankings: some indicator of what’s going on in the classroom, or how much students have learned.

Do you think that U.S. News would benefit from factoring in what students do after graduation?

Definitely. But [right now] it’s only spotty data. We measure what happens after graduation in our MBA rankings and our law rankings because we have placement data, career outcomes for the most recent class, but there’s nothing like that available at the undergraduate level. Yes, if there were data like that, it would be pretty powerful.

Have any notable schools called or emailed to contest their rankings?

Schools call and contest their rankings all the time. The schools don’t really lobby us … schools call about their rankings. A couple years ago we had something about UC Davis saying that they’d misreported some data, and they called up all upset about it. What you find, the very top schools – the Harvard, Yale, and Princeton’s – they will try to stay above the fray. They don’t send out press releases and they’re not going to be in contact with us on the rankings.

A lot of it is, Why [do] they rank the way they do, or, Explain how the rankings work, or, Where’d you get that data – because in some cases if they’ve assigned filling out the surveys to some other office, then when the rankings come out, a senior person in the president’s office says, Well that can’t be right. Of course we can prove that we got it from the school. Sometimes you can call up two or three offices at the same school and get slightly different answers to the same questions. So we face that when we collect data from schools.

This concludes Top Test Prep’s in-depth interview with Bob Morse of U.S. News & World Report. Stay tuned for some more great interviews with college admissions experts.

Ross Blankenship is an admissions expert who helps students and media organizations better understand the college rankings and US News and World Report. To contact Ross, call (800) 501-Prep to speak to his admissions expert team.

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Meet the man behind the single most influential list in college admissions. Bob Morse is the Director of Data Research at U.S. News & World Report, the head of its revered college ranking system. As the force behind a series of annual publications that have achieved unanticipated fame within higher education, Bob Morse has helped to create the college ranking system as it exists today. He was nice enough to sit down with Top Test Prep and answer some questions.

Start by telling us a little bit about yourself.

I’ve been at U.S. News since 1976. I have a BA in economics and an MBA in finance, so I have a research and quantitative background. Doing the rankings is a research and quantitative analysis project. It’s not journalism in the sense that even though I do have a blog, the rankings themselves aren’t reporting … they’re creating information, while typical journalism is reporting on an event or analyzing an event or giving context to something that’s happened.

You have a blog?

I write the blog once or twice a week – Morse Code: Inside the College Rankings. Prior to the blog, U.S. News wouldn’t really write about rankings except at the time that we published the college and grad rankings, so the blog gives us the ability to … make announcements.

How did you get connected to U.S. News & World Report?

I worked on Wall Street briefly, at a company called E.F. Hutton. A lot of them don’t exist anymore – they merged away – but I used to work there in the mid-70’s. I was at U.S. News, but in another department. It doesn’t exist anymore … a research department called the economic unit.

U.S. News was moving from doing the rankings just based on reputation only – in the very beginning, before I was involved, they were done very simplistically, in ’83 and ’85. They wanted to make them more sophisticated.

How did the rankings come about?

At the beginning … we didn’t have the thick guidebook and we didn’t have the web, so it was just something that appeared in the weekly magazine in a very limited sense, sort of a top ten list. It was not some guerilla force in admissions or higher ed – it was just information for consumers and our readers. Nobody thought that it was going to evolve into anything but an occasional feature or cover story. In ’87 I was put in charge. We were going to make it more sophisticated, a combination of reputation and quantitative data, and we were going to start doing this annual guidebook. I got involved in it because they wanted someone with a quantitative research background.

How do you assess a school’s reputation?

It’s become one of the more controversial parts of the rankings … controversial among people in the higher education establishment. The rankings themselves aren’t controversial to the public. The public, obviously, uses them and is attracted to them to a significant degree – otherwise we wouldn’t keep doing them.

We give college presidents and admissions deans and provosts a list of schools and we ask them to rate which ones are excellent and good, so it’s a subjective judgment about the relative standing of schools based on their academic reputations. The academic establishment doesn’t like that – or some of them don’t. Maybe liberal arts schools don’t. I think research universities do.

What’s most interesting to you about the rankings?

A couple things. One, how it’s become this force in higher education. Some colleges are trying publicly to do better in the rankings and … make educational decisions to improve in the rankings. I think that’s pretty interesting.

I think that we’ve filled an informational gap. There’s been a decrease in high school counseling – not at private schools, but at public schools – high school counseling has been diminished by budget cuts, and the public is really searching for tools to help them decide what’s the best school for them. So they’re forced to make decisions on their own and fend for themselves. It’s been satisfying that we’ve been able to fill this informational void. People are becoming more quantitative in judging the best schools.

Another interesting thing is that we’ve been part of this accountability movement. Schools are being held accountable for how they spend money, and whether they’re succeeding in educating students: how well are they doing at what they’re supposed to be doing. So it’s been interesting to be part of all these trends.

Which colleges have seen their rankings improve the most over the last two or three years?

The rankings are more stable than people think. Typically over a two- or three-year period, the rankings don’t move that much, but I think two schools … Universtiy of Southern California and Washington University in St. Louis … have over the last decade or so made a strategic – they have a strategy to improve themselves, and their strategy is across-the-board improvement, step-by-step. They take small steps each year institution-wide, and that’s the formula to improve in the rankings.

What kind of “small steps” are colleges taking?

They’re not small in the sense that they’re little things. They just do them a little bit each year. For example, [a college] would raise the SAT average, so maybe one year it was 1200, the next year it was 1225, the next year it was 1250 … but they wouldn’t go from 1100 to 1300 in one year; they would do it over a ten-year period. Or they would increase the freshman retention rate. They’d put money into increasing freshman retention. The graduation rate would be another one, or faculty salaries. They might put more emphasis on small classes and reduce the number of large classes. They’ll do this a little bit each year, focusing on many factors of the academic environment.

To be continued …

Ross Blankenship is an admissions expert who specializes in prep school, college and graduate admissions. To read more about Ross Blankenship, go to: Admissions Experts.

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Below we have posted the Ivy League Application Statistics to help give you a sense of how competitive the Ivy League has become. The college admissions statistics are for the fall of 2008 entering class, but reflect a greater trend for more selectivity within these top colleges including this upcoming Fall 2009 Ivy League Class. These Ivy admissions numbers are bound to become more selective this fall as a result of the economy as well as consistent US News and College Report rankings.

Ivy League Applications Statistics

Our College Admissions Consultants can help you get into these top schools. Call us today at (800) 501-Prep or fill out or free admissions consultation.

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We’ve had many students ask us what colleges are the best engineering and computer science schools. Using a weighted average of faculty resources, technology grants, class size, and student ratings, we have developed the following list to help guide students and parents in the process of college counseling. The list provides a concise summary of these top engineering and tech programs. For more information, contact Top Test Prep directly.

(1) California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA
“Cal Tech” is the top ranked tech savvy college. The school is packed with great professors and has a niche in the California technology industry, including Google and Yahoo. Cal Tech is highly recommended if you’re interested in entering Silicon Valley and have a knack for inventing new technologies. Their undergraduate program is one of the best for students interested in individual research projects with professors and Cal Tech is a key part of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Some key specialties: Natural Sciences, Biotechnology, Space Sciences
Famous alumni: Gordon E. Moore, co-founder of Intel Corporation; Charles Francis Richter, creator of the Richter Magnitude Scale;
SAT range for incoming students: 2200-2350
Acceptance rate: 17%

(2) Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
MIT is a great school with unique resources for its students. If you’re interested in graduating with the famed “MIT” degree, and want to be immersed in high quality education, every day, then this is a great place to be. With more Nobel prizes than one could count in an hour, they define excellence in engineering. Their high alumni giving suggest generations of families are happy with their educational choice. MIT probably has the highest name recognition worldwide amongst scholars and students.

Some key specialties: Artificial Intelligence, Aerospace Engineering
Famous alumni: Col. Buzz Aldrin, NASA Astronaut; IM Pei, world-renowned designer and architect; Robert Metcalfe, inventor of Ethernet and founder, 3COM;
SAT range for incoming students: 2070-2340
Acceptance rate: 13%

(3) Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
Cornell is one of the few colleges with engineering research programs that allow students to work directly under renowned professors. With faculty like Bill Nye (the science guy) and Steven Squyres of the NASA Mars Rover program, you will have the opportunity to learn from the best. Be prepared to work harder at Cornell than you would at most colleges. Cornell’s unique engineering science facilities include newly built Duffield Hall, which represents the university’s next high-tech step.

Some key specialties: Engineering Physics, Nanotechnology, Biomedical Sciences
Famous alumni: Steven Squyres, principal science investigator for the Mars rovers; William F. Friedman, founder of the study of cybernetics;
SAT range for incoming students: 1940-2240
Acceptance rate: 24%

(4) Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA

Founded originally as “Carnegie Technical Schools” in 1900 by industrialist Andrew Carnegie, the school is primarily known for its science and research. Carnegie Mellon hosts the Software Engineering Institute (SEI), a federally funded research and development center sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense and operated by Carnegie Mellon University. In addition, they host the Robotics Institute (RI), a division of the School of Computer Science. Overall, its solid reputation amongst scholars and education journals is a reason why students should look to this school.

Some key specialties: Computer Science, Software Engineering
Famous alumni: James Gosling, creator of the Java programming language; Andy Bechtolsheim, co-founder of Sun Microsystems; Vinod Khosla, billionaire venture capitalist and co-founder of Sun Microsystems;
SAT range for incoming students: 1940-2235
Acceptance rate: 34%

(5) University of Texas, Austin, TX

Considered to be one of the “Public Ivies” in America, the University of Texas has fantastic resources for their students. As a public university, it spends almost 50 percent of their engineering budget on sponsored research. UT’s Cockrell School of Engineering enrolled 67 new National Merit Scholars in 2006-2007, the university’s largest proportion of new National Merit Scholars. UT Austin enrolls the third highest National merit scholars nationally. Plus, Texas is a great state with awesome weather and friendly people. Definitely keep UT-Austin in mind when applying to college.

Some key specialties: Petroleum Engineering, Computer Engineering
Famous alumni: Michael Dell, Founder and CEO of Dell Computers; Rex Tillerson, Exxon Mobil Corp. chairman and CEO.
SAT range for incoming students: 1680-2055
Acceptance rate: 49%*

*Note that this admissions rate will be affected by Texas’ top ten percent law, which guarantees graduating Texas high school seniors in the top 10% of their class admission to any public Texas university

Brought to you by Top Test Prep and the Admissions Expert, Ross Blankenship
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Want to help your teen ace the SAT? The key is to establish a schedule for studying and then stick to it. Sure, spending an hour or more studying may sound like a drag. But by the time the big day rolls around, your teen will be the most relaxed student in town while his classmates are wishing they’d trained to get into SAT shape. Here’s a step-by-step guide to getting underway.

I. Time frame:

The best study schedule will encompass a period of 1 to 2 months. Your schedule should be for five days a week over the entire period.

II. Finding Time:

Decide how much time can be devoted to studying each night, while making allowances for homework and extracurricular commitments. It should be at least one hour, and preferably 2 – 3 hours, per night.

III. Making a Plan:

Write out a schedule for studying. Each night focus on one area of the SAT. If your study time extends past an hour, be sure to schedule a break every hour. Each week re-make the schedule to fit what needs to be studied the most.

IV. Studying:

When it comes time to study, ensure your child has a place that is quiet and free of distractions (no computers, phones, television, video games, etc). If needed have them go to a library to study.

V. Practice Tests:

Finish each week’s schedule with a timed practice exam. This allows you to refocus next week’s schedule, and also to gauge your son or daughter’s progress.

VI. Sticking to the Plan:

It isn’t enough to just make a plan. Obviously you have to ensure that your teen sticks to the plan. A gentle reminder each night will probably be enough to keep them from procrastinating.

A Sample Schedule (for one week):

Monday: Study vocabulary for 1 hour. Take a break. Further improve reading comprehension by going over the answers to a practice test for 1 hour. Focus on the wrong answers and learning why they are wrong.

Tuesday: Study Geometry rules for 1 hour. Take a break. Practice by doing 30 practice questions in two different sections of previously released SATs.

Wednesday: Work on reading comprehension. Do three long passages from a practice SAT and then answer the questions accordingly. Take a break. Work on English grammar (writing) skills by studying questions from a practice exam.

Thursday: Do four sections of the math test on a practice SAT. Take a break. Study the areas where you got the most answers wrong.

Friday: Take a timed practice test. Use the exact breaks allotted on the Reat SAT .

When the week is finished, hone your schedule for the next week (based on the practice test results). For example: If your teen needs to focus on one area more than another – rearrange next week to compensate. Working this way over the course of a month will ensure they’re ready when the test comes.

Articled appeared in Education.com magazine, April 2008.
Ross Blankenship has been an instructor and tutor, and worked in college admissions at Cornell University. He is the founder of Top Test Prep, a test prep and admissions company, offering test prep, college admissions counseling and advice for students and parents

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There are several college admissions myths which should be exposed before you apply. These myths often scare certain students from applying to the best schools. Never limit yourself from applying to top colleges because you believe these things:

(10)

Applicants are pre-screened.

Whether using the common application or a school-specific application, college admission offices have enough staff members to read your entire application. After all, you pay an application fee for a reason and colleges want to make sure you get your fair chance. However, if your application is incomplete or missing crucial components (essays, transcripts, or supplements) this might explain why it is rejected, or pre-screened out, before it reaches the full committee.

(9)

You must choose your major and stick to it.

When you apply to college, admissions officers know your major is bound to change. In fact, many admissions offices have reported that the majority of their students change their major by the end of their freshman year. Don’t worry about choosing your major. Pick a department or major where you have a genuine interest, and be open-minded to changing it once you’re enrolled.

(8)

You must apply early decision or early action.

Yes, applying early decision or early action shows a student is committed to a particular college. But you do not have to apply early to be accepted, even to top colleges. In fact, if you’re deferred in the early decision or early application round, your application goes right back into the regular pool and will be re-evaluated again.

(7)

Colleges have a certain profile of the “perfect” student.

While colleges strive to admit students who will fit into their college, there’s simply no way for a college to predict whether a student will be happy or whether they will actually succeed at their college. This is why colleges don’t set a particular admissions profile for the “perfect” student.

(6)

Ivy League schools don’t give scholarships.

Although Ivy League schools say they only allocate “need-based” scholarships, there’s no doubt that certain schools issue other grants and fellowships based on other criteria. If you’re a top athlete, recruit or a national merit scholar, an Ivy League school will go out of its way to make sure you can afford their school.

(5)

International students don’t receive scholarships or loans.

More colleges are looking to diversify their student body with international students; major banks and financial institutions offer the same financial opportunities for international students as they do American applicants. Scholarships and fellowships are available for international students.

(4)

You should pad your resume with extracurricular activities.

Every admissions officer is a human being. Imagine that. Applications aren’t accepted or rejected by a computer. So when filling out this section of the common app, know that admissions offices can (and do) spot superfluous extracurricular activities. Further, they can certainly tell whether you added an extracurricular because you have a genuine interest or because it “looks good” on your resume.

(3)

Recommendations don’t matter.

Great recommendations are vital. You cannot expect to be admitted simply with high scores and great grades. If an admissions officer sees a perfunctory or suspicious recommendation, it will set off a red flag. Bottom line: choose the recommender who knows you best and make sure they know where you’re applying and what your qualifications are.

(2)

There’s a GPA Cut-Off.

Colleges generally don’t have a GPA cut-off. The reason admissions offices don’t have a GPA “cut-off” is because students come from all sorts of different high schools with varying curriculums and grade structures. Some students attend public schools, others private schools where the GPA ranges could be wider or narrower. Further, there has been much discussion about grade inflation, and colleges do know what particular high schools tend to have higher GPAs than others. Whether this is so-called grade inflation or not, the schools have an idea of what schools have a more competitive curriculum, including more AP, IB and honors courses. Be aware of your GPA and explain discrepancies in your transcript.

(1)

There’s always an SAT/ACT Cut-Off.

Some state colleges do have a cut-off for SAT/ACT scores. But the majority of American Universities do not. So keep working on your test scores but don’t fear the mythical cut-off.

If your SAT or ACT Prep isn’t as strong as you’d like it to be, Top Test Prep.com will help you improve your score.

Hope these admissions myths were answered. If you have any questions, feel free to contact the Top Test Prep team.

-Ross Blankenship, Admissions Expert and Founder, Top Test Prep

Test Prep and Admissions

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Part of applying to colleges is knowing how colleges value early decision or early action applications. Here’s some more data on other top schools. Note the most selective colleges have a goal or “quota” for the number of students taken from each in coming class vis-a-vis early decision pools. Top Test Prep can help you figure out exactly how to get into top schools whether you apply early or regular decision.

This article on top college admissions tips was written by admissions expert, Ross Blankenship.

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Below you’ll find some key data from top college admissions offices.

Top Test Prep has analyzed the early admissions programs and top college statistics for the past few years and has provided this information to the public. Download and view some of the admissions data.

This article on college admissions statistics was written by admissions expert, Ross Blankenship.

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