Quote:
Originally Posted by CaliNative
Let's settle the smartest university once and for all, using objective measures like SATs and maybe other test scores like it (GREs etc. for grad students). Is there a list of test score averages for colleges? I recently read that the median SAT score at Caltech for the undergrads was 1600, meaning half of all undergrads had perfect scores. Can even MIT match that? Caltech also ranks highly on percent of students that go on to earn Ph.Ds, either there or at other universities.
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Wow, I'd go in totally the opposite direction. The whole idea of rankings feels like BS. It ignores the huge variation in what people can/should/do get out of universities, and the many ways a university can excel.
Some might crank out effective new hires. Others inspire entrepreneurs. Or develop great thinkers. Or help people find what they're passionate about. Or excel in important research. Or advance the culture. Some are great for the top performers. Other are better at helping the lower performers do well.
Likewise, is it better to start with the brightest and most prepared (like with SAT scores), or to cause the most improvement? The latter seems far more relevant.
I'll also say this as a researcher (in commercial real estate)...measurables are limited. They don't cover everything, they tend to apply to the aggregate and not your special situation, and they look backward.