<p>Yes the US News is a well thought of ranking system. Like all rankings it is system that has certain biases built in. Another well thought of ranking is the London Times rankings. There Penn State is rated 49th in the world ahead of Ivy’s such as Brown and Dartmouth as well as such well known schools as USC, Emory, Vanderbuilt, Tufts Etc. Among American Universities Penn State ranks 28th. Leaving out the top US and British universities Penn State is as highly ranked as the top schools in many developed countries where education is highly valued. </p>
<p>The rating by recruiters is important in many ways. When I speak with my Ivy friends they report that the places where they went to college were dark places filled with very strange people, hyper focused on academics and living in the library. Penn State has fufilled every tenant of the Morrill act to promote the liberal and practical education to the industrial classes. </p>
<p>Jerry Sandusky is of little consequence except to the individuals who he preyed upon. There are criminals in any organizaton of 500,000 people. We are repulsed by his actions and any actions that did not bring him to justice quickly enough (the failed prosecution in 1998 did not help anyone) If anything he made a strong place stronger by causing a re examination of what Penn State is a place where the middle income highly performing students of Pennsylvania can come and get a World class education for a reasonable price. </p>
<p>I am and always will be grateful for the opportunity that was presented to me by Penn State.</p>
<p>Joe BS MS PhD</p>