Focus on the rankings that matter
October 28, 2015
It’s no secret that NYU is an excellent institution. Not only are our professors at the top of their academic and professional games, but our faculty is world-renowned. Regardless, the urge to compare and rank institutions is apparently irresistible. As much as we tell ourselves that these rankings are subjective and do not account for the full experience at a given university, these rankings are nonetheless given a lot of weight. Universities trumpet their positions, and it’s common for parents to take them into account. Students should resist the urge to put too much value on the rankings, and prospective students and their parents should seek a more rounded view of a university when choosing where to attend.
Take, for example, the infamous annual rankings by U.S. World News and Report — NYU’s current rank of 32 does not mean that the institutions above us are necessarily better. These rankings are based on criteria such as selectivity and endowment — neither of which are particularly elastic for us, unless our endowment miraculously doubles overnight or the administration chooses to radically reduce the school’s acceptance rate. Instead, we should focus on the aspects to which we can easily make improvements and the numbers that tell us something useful about our school.
In 2015, the academic ranking of world universities placed us 19th in the world. The methodology for this ranking includes the quality of the education in terms of Nobel laureates among the alumni pool, quality of faculty and research output. Such a ranking could give us an insight into which universities do well, or why faculty members might choose one institution over another.
One of the most practical rankings I have seen recently is a 2013 survey of 5,000 recruiters and senior executives at major companies in 30 different countries. The survey simply asked them to rank the most employable graduates. We placed 29th on the list containing 50 schools. To me, this is a ranking that should have been used by the Wasserman Center for Career Development — as well as career services within schools and departments — to give students a better idea of what recruiters are looking for.
Rankings will always be controversial, in the sense that they are based on the opinion of what surveyors value as being critical and relevant. There is one thing that we must learn from rankings: administrators and leaders must equip us with the resources needed to compete in a globalized world. This involves a multifaceted way of thinking that would ensure that, regardless of your choice of study, an NYU education enables you to succeed in a globalized economy.
Opinions expressed on the editorial pages are not necessarily those of WSN, and our publication of opinions is not an endorsement of them.
Email Tegan Joseph Mosugu at [email protected].
Alli • Dec 7, 2015 at 1:43 am
Very good article. It’s also important to trust the opinion that matters the most- your own. You should go to the college that feels right to you- the one that is going to give you the support you know you need and provide you with an environment that will allow you to grow during your time there. Many of these rankings are meaningless in that sense. Important factors in the US News and World Report include acceptance rate (the lower the rate, the higher the ranking), percentage of alumni that donate, and even (*cringe*) the number of books in the library.
I recommend reading “Where You Go is Not Who You’ll Be” by Frank Bruni. He expands on this topic and emphasizes that a world-class education can be found at any school. You simply have to be proactive and seek it out.