Michigan academic ranking
Just saw this report that ranked our fine institution as the 19th best University in the World!!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/datablog/2009/oct/08/top-100-univer…
We even placed ahead of two Ivy's: Brown & Dartmouth
Go Blue!
October 12th, 2009 at 2:34 PM ^
The History Deptartment was ranked as high as 5 while I was there, but has now dropped to 7. So it's not only Engineering that has top 10 programs.
October 12th, 2009 at 3:07 PM ^
That being said, some programs are (and in my mind should be) considered somewhat of a joke amongst the majority of the student body. I'll go out on a limb here and say Philosophy, Political Science, and Communications are right up there...
October 12th, 2009 at 3:11 PM ^
Pretty much any degree where all that you can do is teach or do research isn't a very good decision. (no offense to anyone here)
Also:
October 12th, 2009 at 4:03 PM ^
That is silly. Grad school is the new college, people.
October 12th, 2009 at 3:23 PM ^
anyone with those three majors are complete idiots who are destined for failure and will be crushed by the mighty engineers
pull your own head out of your ass please
October 12th, 2009 at 4:21 PM ^
is not what I said, stop putting words in my mouth. There are smart people in every program at Michigan (it's a requirement to get in). I was merely stating that (fair or unfair) that is the viewpoint of a large part of the student body.
I can almost guarantee that the majority of Pre-Med, Math, Chem, Bio, History, Pre-Law, and Business undergrads feel this way. I said nothing about it being fair or right.
I can almost guarantee that the majority of Pre-Med, Math, Chem, Bio, History, Pre-Law, and Business undergrads feel this way. I said nothing about it being fair or right.
October 12th, 2009 at 4:47 PM ^
First, I was a history major, and people considered that a joke.
Second, why do you feel the need to come onto this board and shit on the degrees that any number of people here worked four years to attain? To make yourself feel bigger? You got an engineering degree, congratulations! Is that what you're looking for? Why the need to be a flaming asshole about it?
Edit: I read back in the thread and saw that you graduated 5 months ago, which explains, to me, your inflated sense of ego about it.
October 12th, 2009 at 5:13 PM ^
Look, this all started way back (way way back) with a comment about how LSA "brings the ranking down". Now, I apologize for any offense I have caused you (and other LSAers). I certainly did not intend to offend. I did try (piss-poorly, I might add) to illustrate why that viewpoint exists.
I know for a fact I am not the only one who has encountered said viewpoint. I have a number of friends (including a history major: HartAttack) who worked very hard for their degress, and I don't want to take anything away from them. I guess I was just trying to add (one way or another) to the discussion...at least initially. Then, trying to clarify my statements I only ended up digging the hole deeper.
FUTURE DISCLAIMER: Poster does most of his mgblogging at work and does not always have time for well-thought-out replies. If he says something asinine, please take it with a grain of salt.
I know for a fact I am not the only one who has encountered said viewpoint. I have a number of friends (including a history major: HartAttack) who worked very hard for their degress, and I don't want to take anything away from them. I guess I was just trying to add (one way or another) to the discussion...at least initially. Then, trying to clarify my statements I only ended up digging the hole deeper.
FUTURE DISCLAIMER: Poster does most of his mgblogging at work and does not always have time for well-thought-out replies. If he says something asinine, please take it with a grain of salt.
October 12th, 2009 at 5:16 PM ^
Kudos for the mea culpa. Most people would have just run and hide.
October 12th, 2009 at 5:21 PM ^
Eh, I'm usually man enough to tell when I'm being an ass and when it's time to stfu. Also I have a future life lesson: re-read what you wrote before hitting "save".
October 12th, 2009 at 7:56 PM ^
Of course, you're still wrong that it's LS&A that brings the rankings down. Instead it's the formula that US News uses for institutional ranking (alumni giving, acceptance rate, etc.), which is, by the way, completely delinked from the department rankings (which are arrived at by surveying professors across the discipline).
October 12th, 2009 at 4:44 PM ^
Uh oh, I double majored, with one program apparently considering the other a joke. Oh man did I hate my internal struggles with that one.
October 12th, 2009 at 3:46 PM ^
Say, you smell bad, are Asian, and are still a virgin, right? Because that is what the rest of the campus thinks of engineers, so by your logic, it must be true.
October 12th, 2009 at 3:49 PM ^
It's only like 50% Asian/Indian.
I am not:
Asian (white)
smelly (shower regularly)
a virgin
QED :)
October 12th, 2009 at 3:52 PM ^
That's all subjective. I always pictured you as a fat Pacific Islander.
October 12th, 2009 at 3:59 PM ^
Philosophy is ranked 8th in the country. Political Science is ranked in the top 5*. At one time I was going to major in philosophy. The material was very tough in every course I took. I'll go out on a limb and say you don't know what you're talking about.
*This is more impressive than having an engineering program having the same ranking b/c so many schools don't have an engineering program.
October 12th, 2009 at 4:17 PM ^
I'm going to go out on a limb and say those rankings refer to grad schools. An undergrad degree in Philosophy, Poli Sci, and Communications gets you...an applicaiton for grad school. Which is why the corresponding undergrad programs aren't taken too seriously.
As for grad school programs, I have no doubt they are difficult and rigorous.
As for grad school programs, I have no doubt they are difficult and rigorous.
October 12th, 2009 at 4:48 PM ^
Really, they automatically get you a grad school application? I could have sworn they got you a degree and, for quite a few of my friends in those programs, a job.
I tell ya, for someone who is so damn intelligent and resourceful and just all around wonderful enough to get into engineering, you sure are posting a lot in the afternoon on a Monday.
October 12th, 2009 at 4:52 PM ^
me tak ez klasses in lsplay insted of hard engine making klass and family sya WHY YOUY TAKE EZ KLASS U DO NOTHING WITH LIFE but i get lsplay paper say i gradute skool but no grad skool application come wit but i get job neway and now make sum green paper but not a lot of green paper but am very happy with life and feel no need 4 gradute skool
October 12th, 2009 at 4:52 PM ^
You clearly don't understand, literally, anything.
October 12th, 2009 at 4:52 PM ^
You clearly don't understand, literally, anything.
October 12th, 2009 at 4:57 PM ^
Because my women's studies/political science major got me...a job. And relatively quickly.
October 12th, 2009 at 5:12 PM ^
When I graduated with my engineering degree, I used it to get an application for a grad school. I also knew many who used their engineering degree to get into their parents' basements.
Here's what I've learned in the intervening 12+ years: The rankings mean very little, except maybe to the poor schmuck tasked with sorting through resumes to decide whether you get an interview for your first job. Beyond that, the rankings don't mean a damn thing. Undergrad degrees from virtually any institution are taken seriously as long as you take your time there seriously. Fuck around, and you're lucky to get any consideration at all. Excel, and you'll be fine.
Stop with the engineering conceit. You're making us look bad.
October 12th, 2009 at 5:15 PM ^
Clearly I'm being an ass, ignore me.
October 12th, 2009 at 1:31 PM ^
I guess the Brits aren't putting enough emphasis on speed. No mention of the SEC anywhere on that list.
October 12th, 2009 at 3:11 PM ^
I never realized UW-Madison was THAT prestigious, #61 in the world.
The blokes at the Guardian must really like the cheese curds.
October 12th, 2009 at 3:13 PM ^
UW-Madison is a pretty good school.
Michigan is top 25 (27 in this years ranking)
Illinois is #39 and
Wisco is also #39 in US news and world report
They are a good school and it's kind of ignorant to post otherwise they aren't exactly State or OSU
October 12th, 2009 at 4:10 PM ^
Florida State? I admire your bravery in not shying away from the subject of relative school rankings.
October 12th, 2009 at 5:17 PM ^
Their school is very good at everything...
October 12th, 2009 at 5:11 PM ^
I know that they are actually a very good school, but 61st in WORLD is what struck me. Based on the article they are 21st best school in the entire. That seemed pretty aggressve.
October 12th, 2009 at 3:19 PM ^
but not for the reasons you think
October 12th, 2009 at 3:48 PM ^
Obes is Dex?
October 12th, 2009 at 3:20 PM ^
Anyone else note that ND is nowhere to be found? Not surprising to me, as it is again proof of how distorted ND fanatics view their university in both the academic and athletic arena!
To be fair, the ranking system seems to weigh graduate schools more than anything else (which explains U of Chicago and Johns Hopkins' lofty status and Brown and Dartmouth's lower status). Still, the Domer's exclusion is a slap in the face (they do have a law school!).
October 12th, 2009 at 5:09 PM ^
There are no "bad schools" or programs at Michigan. Some more highly ranked nationally (and apparently internationally) but we're splitting hairs.
Research grants are heavily weighted (but not exclusive to) engineering, medicine, bio-sciences, physics, chemistry, etc. However, grant money flows into law, anthropology, geology, history, and others.
As I recall, to get my B.S. Eng degree required 128 credit hours, whereas my friends in LSA required 120 (for the most part, there may have been specific programs that differed). We're talking about 2-3 classes spread over 4-5 years. Not exactly earth shattering.
I defy anyone to say that the grading curve for pre-law or pre-med wouldn't kick anyone's ass. The competition is tough, making the pressure at least on a par with engineering. And I seriously doubt that math, physics and chemistry students were "coasting" their way to a degree.
While I can't speak for the Philosophy classes, (I didn't take any) I did take plenty of English Dept classes, Italian, and History. While I regarded them as more "fun" than "required", (there were "electives", after all) I knew damn well that I had better study or they could kill my GPA as easily as Aero 340, and the professors were not likely to be any more lenient than Werner Dahm.
Many of my fellow COE students questioned why we needed to take Humanities classes. Simple answer: So you know something about the world and can communicate with other people, dumb ass. Having the best ideas in the world won't mean shit if you can't tell people about them in a way they'll understand.