2011 PA Scores

UCBChemEGrad
Fri, 20 Aug 2010 15:47:50 +0000

xiggi:

However, although the instructions of USNews are clearly lacking, the DO specifically ask to measure the quality of the UNDERGRADUATE. The problem remains that the responders pay little to attention to that CLEAR distinction, and this to the great joy and glee of the PA supporters who benefit from a PA that reflects both relevant and irrelevant intangibles.

Not exactly, xiggi. They specifically ask the user to rate a university’s academic programs from distinguished (5) to marginal (1). Colleges with higher PA scores (typically) have more renowned academic programs than colleges with lower scores.

They probably do take into consideration UNDERGRAD…For example, Berkeley has many distinguished academic programs and would probably be ranked 5…however, since the university is larger and has less resources to devote to all of its undergrads, its PA score is discounted.

As I’ve said numerous times before, not many colleges could be rated 5 (or distinguished), because if there were, colleges become undistinguished.



The problem remains that the responders pay little to attention to that CLEAR distinction

No, the problem is the distinction is far from CLEAR when trying to separate a school’s graduate academic programs from its undergraduate academic programs.