I've been researching Ivy League schools lately and can't seem to get a clear answer on this. How are Ivy League schools ranked? Is it purely academic or are other factors like sports and arts considered too? Sort of freaking out and just want to know if I should make Ivy my goal or not.
Great question — understanding rankings can indeed be a bit tricky. Typically, Ivy League universities and other schools are ranked based on a variety of factors that go beyond academics. These factors can include student satisfaction, faculty resources, financial resources, student excellence, and alumni giving rates. Different ranking systems may weigh these factors differently, so rankings might vary across sources.
In academics, ranking factors can include the school's retention rate, graduation rate, class size, faculty salary, proportion of full-time faculty, and more. Student excellence often considers the standardized test scores and high school class ranks of incoming students. Alumni giving rates can serve as an indicator of student satisfaction post-graduation.
Sports and arts don't usually have a large impact on overall university rankings, but there may be separate rankings for specific athletic or arts programs. For instance, a university might rank low overall but have an outstanding music program.
Remember, rankings serve as a rough guide and shouldn't be your deciding factor when choosing colleges to apply to. It's far more important to find a school that fits your personality, career goals, academic interests, and other personal criteria. So, while aiming for the Ivy League is admirable — and if it fits your criteria, go for it — be sure to consider a range of schools that might be a good fit for you.
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