Boston University placed 42nd in the 2015 edition of the U.S. News and World Report’s National University Rankings, falling just one slot shy of last year’s all-time high ranking.
The rankings, released Tuesday, measure academic excellence by studying a combination of factors such as retention, financial resources, alumni donations and admissions factors to inform students and parents about their options, according to a press release.
“There wasn’t a lot of change in the methodology each year,” said U.S. News and World Report Director of Data Research Robert Morse. “In a year like this, the only changes would be the result of the schools’ data shifting… It’s probably easier for an institution to remain about the same [in rankings] than to make the magnitude of improvements.”
Princeton University came in at the number one spot for a second year in a row, followed by Harvard University in second and Yale University as the third highest ranked school. Massachusetts Institute of Technology ranked seventh, pulling away from its tie with Duke University and University of Pennsylvania in the 2014 rankings.
Tufts University ranked 27th and Boston College ranked 31st, achieving similar placement as in previous years. Northeastern University tied with BU in the 2015 rankings for 42nd, along with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, University of California, Irvine and University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, jumping seven spots since last year.
BU spokesman Colin Riley said BU has continued to attract prospective students because of the strength of its academics.
“It’s basically the same ranking that shows we’re in the same ballpark, and we’re doing well,” he said. “We know that we receive lots of applications, one of the highest in the country. This means that people are interested in looking at BU because of the number of degree programs and the caliber of our students… These are all good indicators to parents of prospective students and prospective applications.”
BU has maintained steady progress in U.S. News and World Report’s National Universities, Riley said.
“When you look at the schools above us, there’s certainly people at the university that think that we deserve a higher ranking, but the point is many of these are outstanding schools that offer a great education as well,” he said. “We’re in good company.”
In the 2014 rankings, BU came in 41st and tied with Lehigh University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, University of California, Santa Barbara and University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Several students said rankings provide a good starting point to consider options for school, though they should not be the sole determining factor in choosing to attend.
Dominique Gumbs, a junior in the School of Management, said the ratings help inform the outside community of BU’s prestige.
“As a student, I think it’s fantastic that BU is ranked within the top 50 because it is easier for us to enter the job market at a competitive salary,” she said. “They’re [the ratings] also important for international students who don’t get the chance to come on campus.”
Samuel Barksdale, a sophomore in the College of Fine Arts, said rankings are outdated and contribute heavily to the idea that one school is inherently better than another.
“I applied to a lot of Ivy League schools because I was looking for a definite way to label myself as smart,” he said. “I was interested in what labels applied to me and which ones I could use if I got into one of those schools.”
Amanda Benincasa, a senior in the College of Communication, said when applying to colleges, ratings reports did not play a large role in her decision to study at BU.
“The statistics make sense, but the information is flawed,” she said. “The ratings can be misleading and students still need to get onto campus and get a feel of it.”
Vice Chairman and archives keeper for The Daily Free Press Board of Directors. Former news editor. I like data, politics, and higher education, but will write about anything.
