<p>Hey–just a heads up, the USNWR rankings were very different then. For example, for some time in the 1980s they ranked solely by “reputation.” It’s very easy, therefore, to draw misleading conclusions.</p>
<p>For example, Michigan appears to have slipped from somewhere like #8 back then to #24 now (off the top of the head, I might be a little off here). But in the 1980s when it had that #8 ranking, it was based soley on reputation. If you look at the most recent ranking for overall reputation, which USNWR does report separately in a column, you see that Michigan has barely changed at all. It’s in virtually the same spot (close to being #8).</p>
<p>I think many people would argue that the rankings have gotten better because they are more comprehensive–but it doesn’t mean you can draw hard-and-fast conclusions about how a University might have changed in quality (or even ranking) over time.</p>