@Bester, I just read your last article. While the inputs might be imperfect that doesn’t make them “junk.”
I also have a problem with the following logic. Measuring a school success based on alumni giving benefits richer schools. Therefore richer schools will score higher. The author then tries to say that schools that are richer are not better? Or because it is unfair to poor schools that you shouldn’t use it? It might be socially unfair, but that doesn’t make a school not superior if it has more money because it caters to a group that has money. We can cry foul all we want but institutions (education, hospitals, Not-for-profits, businesses, churches, the military, revolutions, etc.) are usually more effective at their mission if they have the resources to accomplish that mission. Are BMW’s better cars, even thought their customer base is more well off?
BTW, we are way off topic. If you want to start a “Why USNWR Rankings Sucks Thread, do so” But please put an argument down and then support it with articles and not just spam it with every article that says USNWR is flawed.