US News Rankings

[fan]

Looks like we are down 2 more this year.

[AfricanMustang]

Looks like we are down 2 more this year.

Oh boy!

[tristatecoog]

#42. UT-Austin
#49. Lehigh, Northeastern, Pepperdine, Miami FL
#53. tOSU, Purdue, RPI, Santa Clara, Villanova
#58. FSU, Syracuse, Maryland, Pitt and U-Dub. 'Noles and Pitt seem to be rising.
#63. Penn State, Rutgers and UConn
#66. SMU, LMU, George Washington, A&M, Fordham, UMass, WPI and Minnesota.
#76. Baylor, American, IU and Yeshiva
#80. TCU with Denver, BYU, Stevens Institute, Michigan State, NC State, Howard and Gonzaga. Think TCU was in low-90s last year.
#97 Auburn
#103. CU-Boulder and USF
#124. KU and Missou
#133. OU
#143. Alabama, UTD, Cincy and Tulsa. Golden Hurricane has been dropping like a rock. Was ~100 couple years ago.
#160. Arkansas, UCF and Ole Miss.
#176. UH, Louisville and Wazzu.
#187. OK State
#206. Miss State
#217. TX Tech and ECU.
#241. WVU
#249. UNT
#258. Memphis -- finally found them

Florida schools seem to be rising On the whole. UF at #30. Rising population with solid public U funding?

[gostangs]

This is a constant source of frustration. SMU has higher average student ACT scores than UT - but they are a full 20 plus spots ahead of us? SMU tied with A&M? They are more than 100 SAT average points below us. Embarrassing.

Our admissions team is doing their part bringing in great student quality - the problem lies elsewhere - time for change.

We need to fund someone who's full time job it is to move the needle on this for us - we are the only ones not gaming the system. If we lose our rep we are in trouble - we will be viewed as a really expensive less than average university

[tristatecoog]

Changes to the ranking in 2021 include giving less weight to SAT/ACT scores, high school class standing and alumni giving rates. New to the rankings is recognition for schools that excel in other key areas (e.g., student debt at graduation, ethnic diversity, etc.).

Per an upset Cornell article https://cornellsun.com/2020/09/14/cornell-falls-one-spot-in-annual-u-s-news-ranking-continuing-years-long-slide/, more recently, the list has placed greater emphasis on “social mobility,” measured through the graduation rate of Pell Grant recipients, and the amount of debt that students graduate with. Cornell has dropped from 12 to 18 over the last 13 years and was overtaken by Rice and Wash U this year. Oh the travesty!

Six categories influenced the rankings with the following weights: outcomes (40 percent), faculty resources (20 percent), expert opinion (20 percent), financial resources (10 percent), student excellence (7 percent), and alumni giving (3 percent.)

[AfricanMustang]

This is a constant source of frustration. SMU has higher average student ACT scores than UT - but they are a full 20 plus spots ahead of us? SMU tied with A&M? They are more than 100 SAT average points below us. Embarrassing.

Our admissions team is doing their part bringing in great student quality - the problem lies elsewhere - time for change.

We need to fund someone who's full time job it is to move the needle on this for us - we are the only ones not gaming the system. If we lose our rep we are in trouble - we will be viewed as a really expensive less than average university

Before this year's changes; an area in which SMU continued to struggle was graduation and retention rates - hence things like building new residence halls and requiring second year students to stay on campus with the goal of building a sense of community. The halls opened Fall 2014, so Spring 2020 would be the first time 6 years will have been completely finished for a student that entered Fall 2014.

Also, one thing that dragged SMU behind was when it changed the University Curriculum (UC) formerly GEC which led to many kids taking longer to graduate, this has since been rectified but obviously it stills affects the graduation rate so we have to wait for those kids it affected to phase out (graduate)

[ponyboy]

Interesting, AM.

[AfricanMustang]

#42. UT-Austin
#49. Lehigh, Northeastern, Pepperdine, Miami FL
#53. tOSU, Purdue, RPI, Santa Clara, Villanova
#58. FSU, Syracuse, Maryland, Pitt and U-Dub. 'Noles and Pitt seem to be rising.
#63. Penn State, Rutgers and UConn
#66. SMU, LMU, George Washington, A&M, Fordham, UMass, WPI and Minnesota.
#76. Baylor, American, IU and Yeshiva
#80. TCU with Denver, BYU, Stevens Institute, Michigan State, NC State, Howard and Gonzaga. Think TCU was in low-90s last year.
#97 Auburn
#103. CU-Boulder and USF
#124. KU and Missou
#133. OU
#143. Alabama, UTD, Cincy and Tulsa. Golden Hurricane has been dropping like a rock. Was ~100 couple years ago.
#160. Arkansas, UCF and Ole Miss.
#176. UH, Louisville and Wazzu.
#187. OK State
#206. Miss State
#217. TX Tech and ECU.
#241. WVU
#249. UNT
#258. Memphis -- finally found them

Florida schools seem to be rising On the whole. UF at #30. Rising population with solid public U funding?

Texas University's Best Rankings over the last 14 years (2008 - 2021)
14. Rice University (2018)
39. Tulane University (2017)
42. University of Texas at Austin (2021)
56. Southern Methodist University (2011, 2017)
58. Texas A&M University (2012)
71. Baylor University (2015, 2017)
75. University of Tulsa (2012)
76. Texas Christian University (2015)
129. The University of Texas at Dallas (2019)
159. Texas Tech University (2011)
171. University of Houston (2019)

2021 Rankings (Released September 2020) Here are all the Texas universities that made the top 200.
16. Rice University
41. Tulane University
48. University of Texas at Austin
66. Southern Methodist University
70. Texas A&M University
79. Baylor University
97. Texas Christian University
143. University of Tulsa
https://publicuniversityhonors.com/2016 ... 2010-1017/

2020 Rankings (Released September 2019) Here are all the Texas universities that made the top 200.
17. Rice University
40. Tulane University
48. University of Texas at Austin
64. Southern Methodist University
70. Texas A&M University
79. Baylor University
97. Texas Christian University
121. University of Tulsa
147. The University of Texas at Dallas
185. University of Houston
218. Texas Tech University
272. University of the Incarnate Word
281. Dallas Baptist University
281. Sam Houston State University
281. University of North Texas
293. University of Texas at San Antonio
293. Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/h ... o-17897467
https://publicuniversityhonors.com/2016 ... 2010-1017/

2019 Rankings (Released September 2018) Here are all the Texas universities that made the top 200.
16. Rice University
44. Tulane University
49. University of Texas at Austin
63. Southern Methodist University
66. Texas A&M University
78. Baylor University
80. Texas Christian University
106. University of Tulsa
129. The University of Texas at Dallas
171. University of Houston
187. Texas Tech University
https://www.texastribune.org/2018/09/10 ... -rankings/
https://publicuniversityhonors.com/2016 ... 2010-1017/

2018 Rankings (Released September 2017) Here are all the Texas universities that made the top 200.
14. Rice University
40. Tulane University
56. University of Texas at Austin
61. Southern Methodist University
69. Texas A&M University
75. Baylor University
78. Texas Christian University
87. University of Tulsa
145. The University of Texas at Dallas
176. Texas Tech University
192. University of Houston
https://www.texastribune.org/2017/09/12 ... -rankings/
https://publicuniversityhonors.com/2016 ... 2010-1017/

2017 Rankings (Released September 2016) Here are all the Texas universities that made the top 200.
15. Rice University
39. Tulane University
56. Southern Methodist University
56. University of Texas at Austin
71. Baylor University
74. Texas A&M University
82. Texas Christian University
86. University of Tulsa
146. University of Texas at Dallas
176. Texas Tech University
194. University of Houston
https://www.texastribune.org/2016/09/13 ... college-r/
https://publicuniversityhonors.com/2016 ... 2010-1017/

2016 Rankings (Released September 2015) Here are all the Texas universities that made the top 200.
18. Rice University
41. Tulane University
52. University of Texas at Austin
61. Southern Methodist University
70. Texas A&M University
72. Baylor University
82. Texas Christian University
86. University of Tulsa
140. University of Texas at Dallas
168. Texas Tech University
187. University of Houston
https://www.texastribune.org/2016/09/13 ... college-r/
https://publicuniversityhonors.com/2016 ... 2010-1017/

2015 Rankings (Released September 2014) Here are all the Texas universities that made the top 200.
19. Rice University
53. University of Texas at Austin
54. Tulane University
58. Southern Methodist University
68. Texas A&M University
71. Baylor University
76. Texas Christian University
88. University of Tulsa
https://www.baylor.edu/mediacommunicati ... ory=146248
https://www.texastribune.org/2014/09/09 ... -rankings/
https://www.chron.com/news/slideshow/US ... -69901.php
https://www.tcu360.com/story/33086tcu-r ... ly-matter/
https://publicuniversityhonors.com/2016 ... 2010-1017/

2014 Rankings (Released September 2013) Here are all the Texas universities that made the top 200.
18. Rice University
52. Tulane University
52. University of Texas at Austin
60. Southern Methodist University
69. Texas A&M University
75. Baylor University
82. Texas Christian University
86. University of Tulsa
142. University of Texas at Dallas
161. Texas Tech University
190. University of Houston
https://www.baylor.edu/mediacommunicati ... ory=146248
https://today.ttu.edu/posts/2013/09/tex ... t-rankings
https://www.chron.com/news/slideshow/US ... -69901.php

2013 Rankings (Released September 2012) Here are all the Texas universities that made the top 200.
17. Rice University
46. University of Texas at Austin
58. Southern Methodist University
65. Texas A&M University
77. Baylor University
83. University of Tulsa
92. Texas Christian University
151. University of Texas at Dallas
165. Texas Tech University
184. University of Houston
https://www.chron.com/news/slideshow/US ... -69901.php
https://www.texastribune.org/2013/09/10 ... s-ranking/
https://www.texastribune.org/2012/09/12 ... -rankings/

2012 Rankings (Released September 2011) Here are all the Texas universities that made the top 200.
17. Rice University
45. University of Texas at Austin
58. Texas A&M University
62. Southern Methodist University
75. Baylor University
75. University of Tulsa
97. Texas Christian University
143. University of Texas at Dallas
160. Texas Tech University
https://www.texastribune.org/2012/09/12 ... -rankings/

2011 Rankings (Released September 2010) Here are all the Texas universities that made the top 200.
17. Rice University
45. University of Texas at Austin
56. Southern Methodist University
63. Texas A&M University
79. Baylor University
93. University of Tulsa
99. Texas Christian University
143. University of Texas at Dallas
159. Texas Tech University
https://www.texastribune.org/2010/08/17 ... -rankings/

2010 Rankings (Released September 2009) Here are all the Texas universities that made the top 200.
17. Rice University
47. University of Texas at Austin
61. Texas A&M University
68. Southern Methodist University
80. Baylor University
88. University of Tulsa
110. Texas Christian University
170. Texas Tech University
https://magazine.tcu.edu/latest-news/tc ... ngs-again/
http://today.ttu.edu/posts/2010/08/texa ... t-colleges
https://publicuniversityhonors.com/2015 ... 8-present/

2009 Rankings (Released September 2008) Here are all the Texas universities that made the top 200.
17. Rice University
47. University of Texas at Austin
64. Texas A&M University
66. Southern Methodist University
76. Baylor University
83. University of Tulsa
113. Texas Christian University
https://magazine.tcu.edu/latest-news/tc ... ngs-again/
https://publicuniversityhonors.com/2015 ... 8-present/

2008 Rankings (Released September 2007) Here are all the Texas universities that made the top 200.
17. Rice University
44. University of Texas at Austin
62. Texas A&M University
67. Southern Methodist University
75. Baylor University
91. University of Tulsa
108. Texas Christian University
https://publicuniversityhonors.com/2015 ... 8-present/

[AfricanMustang]

This is a constant source of frustration. SMU has higher average student ACT scores than UT - but they are a full 20 plus spots ahead of us? SMU tied with A&M? They are more than 100 SAT average points below us. Embarrassing.

Our admissions team is doing their part bringing in great student quality - the problem lies elsewhere - time for change.

We need to fund someone who's full time job it is to move the needle on this for us - we are the only ones not gaming the system. If we lose our rep we are in trouble - we will be viewed as a really expensive less than average university

Before this year's changes; an area in which SMU continued to struggle was graduation and retention rates - hence things like building new residence halls and requiring second year students to stay on campus with the goal of building a sense of community. The halls opened Fall 2014, so Spring 2020 would be the first time 6 years will have been completely finished for a student that entered Fall 2014.

Also, one thing that dragged SMU behind was when it changed the University Curriculum (UC) formerly GEC which led to many kids taking longer to graduate, this has since been rectified but obviously it stills affects the graduation rate so we have to wait for those kids it affected to phase out (graduate)

In May 2010 the Board of Trustees approved a new general education curriculum, the University Curriculum (UC) that was launched in fall 2012. Almost immediately after adoption, a number of issues arose regarding its feasibility. These included an overly ambitious Second Language Requirement (SLR) and an overly complex structure and assessment. Over the next four years further problems surfaced including the inability of high-credit majors (e.g., engineering and performing arts) to graduate in four years, the difficulty in creating four-year plans for many other students and the lack of clarity and consistency in determining how courses should fit within the curriculum. Following a report commissioned by then Provost Paul Ludden, the University Curriculum Council took a number of steps to simplify the curriculum that resulted in a significantly revised version that went into effect in fall 2014. Unfortunately, these changes had unintended consequences that required further modifications that went into effect in fall 2016. Thus, we have had three versions of the University Curriculum since its inception.

The multi-year changes that led to our current version of the University Curriculum, UC 2016, have been so dramatic and the process so ad hoc and carried out with so little faculty oversight, that the Faculty Senate passed two resolutions in January 2016 requesting that incoming Provost Steve Currall create a Task Force to propose a more cohesive revision of the University Curriculum to be ratified by the SMU faculty and the Board of Trustees. While a brand new curriculum might seem desirable at this juncture, the effort to replace it after only six years would require a herculean effort. In addition, UC 2016 contains many important features that it inherited from UC 2010 that are worth preserving and others that have resulted from our post-implementation experience. Examples include a robust and feasible SLR, a curriculum that draws from courses across all undergraduate schools and the recognition of student work outside the classroom.

Since September 2016 the General Education Review Task Force has been creating this revised curriculum, the Common Curriculum (CC). In spring 2018, members of the task force met with every SMU academic department and with groups from Student Affairs, Advising, the Registrar and Admissions Counselors, among others, to describe the proposed curriculum. Based on feedback, a number of changes have been made. We recommend that the faculty of SMU and the Board of Trustees adopt the Common Curriculum to go into effect in fall 2020.

https://www.smu.edu/-/media/Site/Provos ... .pdf?la=en

[AfricanMustang]

This is a constant source of frustration. SMU has higher average student ACT scores than UT - but they are a full 20 plus spots ahead of us? SMU tied with A&M? They are more than 100 SAT average points below us. Embarrassing.

Our admissions team is doing their part bringing in great student quality - the problem lies elsewhere - time for change.

We need to fund someone who's full time job it is to move the needle on this for us - we are the only ones not gaming the system. If we lose our rep we are in trouble - we will be viewed as a really expensive less than average university

Before this year's changes; an area in which SMU continued to struggle was graduation and retention rates - hence things like building new residence halls and requiring second year students to stay on campus with the goal of building a sense of community. The halls opened Fall 2014, so Spring 2020 would be the first time 6 years will have been completely finished for a student that entered Fall 2014.

Also, one thing that dragged SMU behind was when it changed the University Curriculum (UC) formerly GEC which led to many kids taking longer to graduate, this has since been rectified but obviously it stills affects the graduation rate so we have to wait for those kids it affected to phase out (graduate)

In May 2010 the Board of Trustees approved a new general education curriculum, the University Curriculum (UC) that was launched in fall 2012. Almost immediately after adoption, a number of issues arose regarding its feasibility. These included an overly ambitious Second Language Requirement (SLR) and an overly complex structure and assessment. Over the next four years further problems surfaced including the inability of high-credit majors (e.g., engineering and performing arts) to graduate in four years, the difficulty in creating four-year plans for many other students and the lack of clarity and consistency in determining how courses should fit within the curriculum. Following a report commissioned by then Provost Paul Ludden, the University Curriculum Council took a number of steps to simplify the curriculum that resulted in a significantly revised version that went into effect in fall 2014. Unfortunately, these changes had unintended consequences that required further modifications that went into effect in fall 2016. Thus, we have had three versions of the University Curriculum since its inception.

The multi-year changes that led to our current version of the University Curriculum, UC 2016, have been so dramatic and the process so ad hoc and carried out with so little faculty oversight, that the Faculty Senate passed two resolutions in January 2016 requesting that incoming Provost Steve Currall create a Task Force to propose a more cohesive revision of the University Curriculum to be ratified by the SMU faculty and the Board of Trustees. While a brand new curriculum might seem desirable at this juncture, the effort to replace it after only six years would require a herculean effort. In addition, UC 2016 contains many important features that it inherited from UC 2010 that are worth preserving and others that have resulted from our post-implementation experience. Examples include a robust and feasible SLR, a curriculum that draws from courses across all undergraduate schools and the recognition of student work outside the classroom.

Since September 2016 the General Education Review Task Force has been creating this revised curriculum, the Common Curriculum (CC). In spring 2018, members of the task force met with every SMU academic department and with groups from Student Affairs, Advising, the Registrar and Admissions Counselors, among others, to describe the proposed curriculum. Based on feedback, a number of changes have been made. We recommend that the faculty of SMU and the Board of Trustees adopt the Common Curriculum to go into effect in fall 2020.

https://www.smu.edu/-/media/Site/Provos ... .pdf?la=en

So for students entering Fall 2012 when the UC was launched; they would be graduating Spring 2016, Spring 2017, Spring 2018 to graduate within the 6 years.

The new curriculum, CC commenced Fall 2020, I think some of the effects will begin to wear off with time seeing graduation and retention rates are some of the metrics USNWR uses to rank universities...

[fan]

Hopefully then we've addressed the issues and our rank improves next year.

[Mustangs_Maroons]

when you look at the universities that are ranked from 31 to where SMU is, it really is disappointing that we as a university have not been able to do more with the inherent strengths of the university (higher student profile, location in Dallas, inherently strong UG areas such as business, etc).

It's amazing how Turner has been here for so long. The guy is 74 - what other university has a president that is that old. No offense but we need new blood. We should get a provost from a university such as Duke, Brown, ND, WashU or Northwestern and hire then as president of the university. They will get us focused on the right things to get SMU to where it belongs on the academics rankings. Focus on research, professor recruitment and student scholarships. Forget now about new buildings and those damn fountains.

[AfricanMustang]

when you look at the universities that are ranked from 31 to where SMU is, it really is disappointing that we as a university have not been able to do more with the inherent strengths of the university (higher student profile, location in Dallas, inherently strong UG areas such as business, etc).

It's amazing how Turner has been here for so long. The guy is 74 - what other university has a president that is that old. No offense but we need new blood. We should get a provost from a university such as Duke, Brown, ND, WashU or Northwestern and hire then as president of the university. They will get us focused on the right things to get SMU to where it belongs on the academics rankings. Focus on research, professor recruitment and student scholarships. Forget now about new buildings and those damn fountains.

When you talk about focusing on research, isn't that what the new Moody School of Graduate and Advanced Studies with the accompanying $100 million is supposed to achieve?

[AfricanMustang]

Hopefully then we've addressed the issues and our rank improves next year.

I do not know if one year is enough for a turn around but it certainly has been a factor in our sliding rankings

AUSTIN, Texas — The University of Texas at Austin rose in U.S. News & World Report’s latest undergraduate ranking, climbing six spots to No. 42 among national universities — the highest UT has ranked since 1985.

Contributing to UT’s higher ranking this year were increases in six-year graduation rates, graduation rates for Pell Grant-eligible students and the university’s reputation among peer institutions. From 2014 to 2019, the university’s six-year graduation rate rose 2.8 percentage points to reach a new high of 85.6%.

https://news.utexas.edu/2020/09/14/ut-a ... -rankings/

SMU's 2016-2025 strategic plan calls for increasing the four-year and six-year graduation rates for undergraduate students to 74% and 84%, respectively, by 2025.

For the cohort entering fall 2014 and graduating in 2018, the four-year graduation rate climbed to 73.1%, an increase over the previous year’s 71.6%. Rates for the five cohorts entering between fall 2008 and fall 2012 were even lower, ranging between 66.7% and 71.0%.

For the cohort entering fall 2012 and graduating in 2018, the six-year graduation rate dipped to 78.0% from the previous year’s 80.5%. Previous rates were 78.8% (fall 2010 cohort), 78.9% (fall 2009), and 77.1% (fall 2008).

The strategic plan calls for a Review of each undergraduate major to identify courses that also should be offered consistently in intersessions (January, May, June, or July terms) to facilitate timely degree completion as measured by four- and six-year graduation rates.

Whereas 70% of the first-year cohorts entering SMU between fall 2010 and spring 2015 graduated in four years, those in these cohorts who attended intersession graduated in four years at a higher 78% rate. The same pattern held true when measured by six-year graduation rates: 78% of the first-year cohorts entering SMU between fall 2009 and spring 2014 graduated in six years, but those in these cohorts who attended intersession graduated in six years at a higher 89% rate.

In this report, for the SMU cohort admitted Fall 2010, the six year graduation rate is 90%, and yet for the cohort admitted Fall 2012 (New Curriculum) the six year graduation rate is 72%!

https://www.smu.edu/-/media/Files/PDF/A ... .pdf?la=en

[Mustangs_Maroons]

when you look at the universities that are ranked from 31 to where SMU is, it really is disappointing that we as a university have not been able to do more with the inherent strengths of the university (higher student profile, location in Dallas, inherently strong UG areas such as business, etc).

It's amazing how Turner has been here for so long. The guy is 74 - what other university has a president that is that old. No offense but we need new blood. We should get a provost from a university such as Duke, Brown, ND, WashU or Northwestern and hire then as president of the university. They will get us focused on the right things to get SMU to where it belongs on the academics rankings. Focus on research, professor recruitment and student scholarships. Forget now about new buildings and those damn fountains.

When you talk about focusing on research, isn't that what the new Moody School of Graduate and Advanced Studies with the accompanying $100 million is supposed to achieve?

That's not nearly enough although it is a step in the right direction. I admit we simply do not have the endowment and financial resources to compete with the large research universities (the leading private research universities and large state-funded programs) but improving our publishing and scholarly research will improve our rankings from a peer assessment perspective as well as draw better professors, and better students. AM - you know how this works in that it is all interrelated.

I also agree with your points on improving the 6-yr graduation rates. The very top universities I believe all have very high graduation rates and one in the 70%s simply does not cut it.