Change in Smith's Ranking on USNWR

[CrewDad]

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Reed (and most other schools) publish the CDS for the benefit of applicants searching for a match, not USNWR!

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<p>Yes, of course, a benefit to applicants is the primary reason colleges participate in The Common Data Set initiative as well as publish their data…but there’s another :)</p>

<p>What’s interesting, too, is that the CDS initiative is a collaborative effort.</p>

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The Common Data Set initiative is a collaborative effort among data providers in the higher education community and publishers as represented by the College Board, Peterson’s, and U.S. News & World Report. The combined goal of this collaboration is to improve the quality and accuracy of information provided to all involved in a student’s transition into higher education, as well as to reduce the reporting burden on data providers.

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<p>[Common</a> Data Set (CDS) // Office of Strategic Planning & Institutional Research // University of Notre Dame](<a href=“http://ospir.nd.edu/institutional-research/common-data-set-cds/]Common”>http://ospir.nd.edu/institutional-research/common-data-set-cds/)</p>

<p>Reed doth protest too much, methinks. Cynically viewed, Reed’s decision to continually refuse to participate in USNWR rankings, and the subsequent well publicized ‘feud’, could be judged as a PR stroke of genius. The college has received national awareness and immeasurable free publicity, much to the benefit of the college.</p>

<p>Kidding aside, I have no doubt Reed’s refusal to participate in the USNWR rankings is based solely on a genuine belief the methodology is flawed and the rankings are of dubitable value.</p>

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To me, the whole “peer assessment” factor is just too subjective to even be a part of this.

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<p>Doug Christiansen, Vanderbilt’s dean of admissions, also has a reasonable argument against the peer assessment.</p>

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It can be difficult for officials to rank some colleges and universities because their knowledge of the schools may be out of date, or the officials are unaware of new developments at the schools.

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<p>[NEWS:</a> Some colleges protest U.S. News ranking methods | InsideVandy](<a href=“http://www.insidevandy.com/drupal/node/4409]NEWS:”>http://www.insidevandy.com/drupal/node/4409)</p>