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Total Categories: 5
The U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges Ranking is an annual publication detailing university performance.
Answer: True
The U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges Ranking is indeed an annual compilation that assesses and presents data on university performance across the United States.
The U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges Ranking was first published in the year 2000.
Answer: False
The inaugural publication of the U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges Ranking occurred in 1983, not 2000.
The image accompanying the article shows the cover of the 2014 edition of U.S. News & World Report magazine.
Answer: False
The source material indicates the accompanying image depicts the cover of the 2022 edition of U.S. News & World Report magazine, not the 2014 edition.
The U.S. News & World Report rankings are divided into three main categories: National Universities, Liberal Arts Colleges, and Global Universities.
Answer: False
The U.S. News & World Report college rankings are divided into four main categories: National Universities, Liberal Arts Colleges, Regional Universities, and Regional Colleges. 'Global Universities' is not one of these primary divisions for the domestic ranking.
Mel Elfin, founder of the rankings, justified the system's validity by pointing to the consistent top rankings of institutions like Harvard and Yale.
Answer: True
Mel Elfin, the founder, reportedly justified the rankings' validity by observing the consistent top placement of prestigious institutions such as Harvard and Yale, suggesting a circular logic based on pre-existing reputation.
What is the primary function of the U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges Ranking?
Answer: To publish an annual list ranking colleges and universities within the United States.
The primary function of the U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges Ranking is to compile and publish an annual list that ranks colleges and universities located within the United States.
When was the U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges Ranking first introduced?
Answer: 1983
The U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges Ranking was first introduced in the year 1983.
Which of the following is NOT one of the main categories of U.S. News & World Report college rankings?
Answer: International Universities
The primary domestic categories for U.S. News & World Report college rankings are National Universities, Liberal Arts Colleges, Regional Universities, and Regional Colleges. 'International Universities' is not one of these standard classifications for the U.S. domestic rankings.
In its 2023 edition, U.S. News & World Report ranked approximately 2,500 universities and colleges.
Answer: False
The 2023 edition of the U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges Ranking encompassed approximately 1,500 universities and colleges, not 2,500.
The 'Faculty resources' category is the most heavily weighted in the 2023 U.S. News National University rankings.
Answer: False
In the 2023 U.S. News National University rankings, the 'Outcomes' category holds the most weight (52%), not 'Faculty resources'.
Graduation and retention rates are measured within the 'Faculty resources' category of the U.S. News rankings.
Answer: False
Graduation and retention rates are components of the 'Outcomes' category, not 'Faculty resources'. 'Faculty resources' pertains to faculty salary, student-faculty ratio, and full-time faculty proportion.
The 'Graduation rate performance' metric assesses how well a university's actual graduation rates meet predictions for its entering class.
Answer: True
The 'Graduation rate performance' metric specifically evaluates the congruence between a university's observed six-year graduation rates and the predicted rates for its student cohort.
Social mobility in the U.S. News rankings focuses on the percentage of alumni who are employed in high-paying jobs.
Answer: False
Social mobility in the U.S. News rankings primarily assesses the success of institutions in graduating students who received federal Pell Grants and the performance of first-generation students, rather than focusing solely on alumni employment in high-paying jobs.
Graduate indebtedness is a factor that accounts for 25% of the 'Outcomes' score in the U.S. News rankings.
Answer: False
Graduate indebtedness constitutes 5% of the 'Outcomes' score, not 25%. The 'Outcomes' category itself accounts for 52% of the total ranking score.
'College Graduate Earning Potential' assesses whether graduates earn more than a typical high school graduate four years after degree completion, contributing 5% to the 'Outcomes' score.
Answer: True
This metric evaluates the earning potential of graduates who received federal loans, comparing their earnings four years post-degree to those of typical high school graduates, and it contributes 5% to the 'Outcomes' score.
The 'Faculty resources' category includes faculty salary, student-faculty ratio, and the proportion of full-time faculty.
Answer: True
The 'Faculty resources' component, weighted at 11%, indeed comprises faculty salary, the student-faculty ratio, and the proportion of faculty members who are full-time.
The 'Expert opinion' component is determined by surveying undergraduate students about their satisfaction with faculty.
Answer: False
The 'Expert opinion' component is derived from surveys administered to college presidents, provosts, and deans of admissions, who rate the academic quality of peer institutions, not from undergraduate student satisfaction surveys.
The 'Financial resources' metric assesses the investment an institution makes in its educational offerings by evaluating average spending per student.
Answer: True
This metric, accounting for 8% of the ranking, quantifies institutional investment in education by examining average expenditures per student on instruction, research, and student services.
Student selectivity is measured by the percentage of applicants who enroll and the graduation rate of the student body.
Answer: False
Student selectivity is primarily measured by standardized test scores of admitted students and the proportion of admitted students ranking in the upper percentiles of their high school class, not by enrollment percentage or overall graduation rate.
The 'Faculty Research' component is based on the number of citations received for faculty papers while employed at the college.
Answer: True
This component, valued at 4%, quantifies the impact and recognition of faculty scholarship by assessing the citation counts of research papers produced by faculty during their tenure at the institution.
In the 2023 U.S. News National University rankings, what category held the most weight, accounting for 52% of the score?
Answer: Outcomes
The 'Outcomes' category was the most heavily weighted in the 2023 U.S. News National University rankings, comprising 52% of the total score.
How does the 'Graduation rate performance' metric specifically evaluate a university's success?
Answer: By comparing actual six-year graduation rates against predictions for the entering class.
This metric assesses success by comparing a university's actual six-year graduation rates against the predicted rates for its incoming student cohort.
Which metric within the 'Outcomes' category specifically assesses how well institutions serve students from lower-income backgrounds?
Answer: Social Mobility
The 'Social Mobility' metric is designed to evaluate how effectively institutions serve students from lower-income backgrounds, primarily by examining the graduation rates of Pell Grant recipients and first-generation students.
What does the 'Faculty resources' category measure, contributing 11% to the overall ranking?
Answer: The average salary of faculty, student-faculty ratio, and proportion of full-time faculty.
The 'Faculty resources' category assesses the quality and accessibility of academic staff by measuring faculty salary levels, the student-faculty ratio, and the proportion of faculty members who are full-time.
How is the 'Expert opinion' component of the U.S. News rankings determined?
Answer: By surveying college presidents, provosts, and deans of admissions about peer institution quality.
The 'Expert opinion' component, which carries significant weight (20%), is determined by surveying academic leaders such as college presidents, provosts, and deans of admissions regarding their assessment of peer institution quality.
The 'Financial resources' metric assesses the investment an institution makes in its educational offerings by evaluating:
Answer: The average spending per student on educational expenditures.
The 'Financial resources' metric evaluates the average amount of money a university spends per student on instruction, research, and student services, reflecting its commitment to educational expenditures.
Which factors are used to measure 'Student selectivity' in the U.S. News rankings?
Answer: Standardized test scores of admitted students and their high school class rank.
Student selectivity is measured by assessing the standardized test scores of admitted students and the proportion of those students who ranked in the upper percentiles of their high school graduating class.
What does the 'Faculty Research' component, worth 4% of the ranking, quantify?
Answer: The impact and recognition of faculty scholarship through citation counts.
The 'Faculty Research' component quantifies the scholarly impact and recognition of faculty by measuring the citation counts of their research papers published during their tenure at the institution.
A primary criticism of the U.S. News rankings is that they rely heavily on peer-reviewed research papers published by faculty.
Answer: False
A significant criticism is not the reliance on peer-reviewed research, but rather the heavy dependence on potentially inaccurate or manipulated self-reported data and the encouragement of institutions to 'game the system'.
A significant concern regarding SAT scores is that U.S. News verifies and recalculates all submitted scores to ensure accuracy.
Answer: False
A key concern is that U.S. News *does not* verify or recalculate submitted SAT scores, creating opportunities for misrepresentation and impacting data integrity.
An exposé in the San Francisco Chronicle suggested the U.S. News methodology was primarily driven by academic rigor.
Answer: False
The San Francisco Chronicle exposé suggested the methodology was driven by financial incentives and redundancy, not primarily by academic rigor.
In 2000, the National Opinion Research Center found the weights assigned in the U.S. News methodology to have a strong empirical basis.
Answer: False
The National Opinion Research Center, in its 2000 review, concluded that the weights assigned in the U.S. News methodology 'lack any defensible empirical or theoretical basis,' questioning its foundation.
Which of the following is a significant criticism mentioned regarding the U.S. News & World Report rankings?
Answer: They encourage institutions to prioritize gaming the system over educational quality due to reliance on potentially inaccurate self-reported data.
A major criticism is that the rankings incentivize institutions to manipulate data for higher placement, often due to the reliance on self-reported information which may be inaccurate or misleading, potentially compromising genuine educational quality.
What concern did Michele Tolela Myers raise in 2007 regarding U.S. News & World Report's handling of SAT scores for test-optional universities?
Answer: That U.S. News assigned invented scores significantly lower than the norm when scores were missing.
Michele Tolela Myers voiced concern in 2007 that U.S. News assigned invented SAT scores, approximately one standard deviation below the norm, for universities that did not submit scores, potentially disadvantaging test-optional institutions.
According to Kevin Carey, what are the primary drivers of the U.S. News & World Report college rankings?
Answer: Fame, wealth, and exclusivity.
Kevin Carey posits that the U.S. News & World Report college rankings are predominantly driven by factors such as fame, wealth, and exclusivity, rather than purely academic merit or educational outcomes.
How did U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona describe ranking systems like U.S. News in 2022?
Answer: As 'a joke' that fosters an 'unhealthy obsession with selectivity.'
In 2022, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona characterized ranking systems such as U.S. News as 'a joke,' asserting that they cultivate an 'unhealthy obsession with selectivity' and advocating for a cultural shift in higher education.
How were the changes made to the U.S. News ranking factors in the 2023-24 edition perceived by critics like Ted Mitchell?
Answer: As insufficient evidence of meaningful reform, highlighting unreliability.
Critics, including Ted Mitchell, perceived the modifications to the U.S. News ranking factors in the 2023-24 edition as insufficient evidence of genuine reform, underscoring the continued unreliability of the rankings.
The U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges Ranking is considered the least influential ranking system in the United States.
Answer: False
Contrary to being the least influential, the U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges Ranking is widely regarded as the most influential institutional ranking system within the United States.
Princeton University was ranked as the highest university in the 2025-26 U.S. News & World Report rankings.
Answer: True
According to the source, Princeton University achieved the position of the highest-ranked university in the 2025-26 iteration of the U.S. News & World Report rankings.
On the release day of the 2014 rankings, usnews.com had over 20 million unique visitors.
Answer: False
On the release day of the 2014 rankings, usnews.com recorded 2.6 million unique visitors and 18.9 million page views, not over 20 million unique visitors.
A 2010 University of Michigan study found that U.S. News rankings had minimal impact on college applications.
Answer: False
A 2010 University of Michigan study indicated that U.S. News rankings had a significant impact on college applications and admissions, particularly for students in the top 10% of their class.
A 2011 study showed that a one-rank improvement increased the number of applicants by approximately 5%.
Answer: False
A 2011 study found that a one-rank improvement led to an approximate 0.9% increase in applicants, not 5%.
Universities have never publicly set goals to improve their standing in the U.S. News & World Report rankings.
Answer: False
Numerous universities have publicly declared goals aimed at enhancing their position within the U.S. News & World Report rankings, demonstrating the perceived importance of these rankings.
Clemson University's president aimed to reach the top 50 among public universities by altering presentation of teacher salaries.
Answer: False
Clemson University's president aimed for a top 20 public university ranking, and actions included altering the presentation of teacher salaries and reducing class sizes, not specifically targeting the top 50.
Arizona State University linked its president's compensation to a decrease in the school's U.S. News ranking in 2007.
Answer: False
Arizona State University linked its president's compensation to an *increase*, not a decrease, in the school's U.S. News ranking in 2007.
How is the influence of the U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges Ranking described within the United States?
Answer: As the most influential institutional ranking.
The U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges Ranking is widely characterized as the most influential institutional ranking system operating within the United States.
According to the source, Princeton University held which position in the 2025-26 U.S. News & World Report rankings?
Answer: Highest-ranked university
The source indicates that Princeton University was designated as the highest-ranked university in the 2025-26 U.S. News & World Report rankings.
What significant public interest was demonstrated on the release day of the 2014 U.S. News rankings, according to website traffic data?
Answer: 2.6 million unique visitors and 18.9 million page views.
Website traffic data for usnews.com on the 2014 rankings release day showed 2.6 million unique visitors and 18.9 million page views, indicating substantial public engagement.
A 2010 University of Michigan study indicated that U.S. News rankings had a significant effect on:
Answer: College applications and admissions, especially for top students.
The 2010 University of Michigan study concluded that U.S. News rankings exerted a significant influence on college applications and admissions, particularly impacting the decisions of high-achieving students.
What was the finding of a 2011 study regarding the relationship between a university's rank improvement and its applicant pool?
Answer: A one-rank improvement led to approximately a 0.9% increase in applicants.
A 2011 study demonstrated a positive correlation, indicating that a single-rank improvement in university rankings corresponded to an approximate 0.9% increase in the number of applicants.
What action did Clemson University's president, James Frazier Barker, take in 2001 to improve the university's ranking?
Answer: Reduced class sizes and altered the presentation of teacher salaries.
In 2001, Clemson University's president, James Frazier Barker, implemented strategies such as reducing class sizes and modifying the reporting of teacher salaries as part of an effort to enhance the university's standing in the rankings.
Reed College was the last institution to stop submitting its data for the U.S. News survey in the late 1990s.
Answer: False
Reed College was the *first* institution to stop submitting data in 1995, initiating a trend that saw other institutions follow suit later.
Which institution was the first to stop submitting its data for the U.S. News & World Report college rankings survey in 1995?
Answer: Reed College
Reed College was the pioneering institution to cease its participation in the U.S. News & World Report college rankings survey, doing so in 1995.
What did Professor Michael Thaddeus report about Columbia University's data submission in 2022?
Answer: That Columbia University had misreported data, causing its ranking to drop significantly.
Professor Michael Thaddeus reported in 2022 that Columbia University had submitted inaccurate data, which led to a substantial decline in its ranking from second to 18th place.
Why did the dean of Yale Law School state the school was withdrawing from the U.S. News rankings?
Answer: Because the rankings were considered 'profoundly flawed' and hindering progress.
The dean of Yale Law School cited that the U.S. News rankings were 'profoundly flawed' and actively impeded progress, leading to the school's decision to withdraw its participation.
Which prominent law schools followed Yale Law School's lead in withdrawing from the U.S. News rankings?
Answer: Harvard and UC Berkeley
Following Yale Law School's withdrawal, Harvard Law School and UC Berkeley School of Law were among the prominent institutions that subsequently announced their cessation of participation in the U.S. News rankings.
As of 2023, what was the trend regarding undergraduate schools joining the boycott of U.S. News rankings initiated by graduate schools?
Answer: Few undergraduate schools had followed the lead of graduate schools in withdrawing.
As of 2023, the trend indicated that relatively few undergraduate institutions had joined the boycott initiated by graduate schools, suggesting the rankings still held considerable sway over undergraduate institutional decisions.
Which medical schools were among those that announced withdrawal from cooperation with U.S. News & World Report rankings in January 2023?
Answer: Harvard, Stanford, and Columbia
In January 2023, the medical schools at Harvard, Stanford, and Columbia were among several institutions that announced their withdrawal from cooperation with the U.S. News & World Report rankings.
Columbia University stated its undergraduate schools would no longer participate in U.S. News rankings because the rankings:
Answer: Unduly influenced applicants and distilled the university's profile into data categories.
Columbia University cited that the rankings unduly influenced applicants and reduced the institution's complex profile to simplistic data categories as reasons for its undergraduate schools' withdrawal from participation.
What was the impact on Columbia University's undergraduate ranking in the 2022-2023 rankings following revelations of faulty data submission?
Answer: It dropped from second to 18th place.
Following the revelations of faulty data submission in 2022, Columbia University's undergraduate ranking experienced a significant decline, falling from second place to 18th in the 2022-2023 rankings.