<p>“If you believe the posted data supports that conclusion, would you then say that Swarthmore College does a three-fold better job of preparing its undergraduates for the goal of a PhD in Economics than the University of Chicago?”</p>
<p>No, there are too many other factors involved. Interesteddad may have some insight. Perhaps Swat offers fewer majors, or is even more self-selecting. I think these lists are more useful for identifying schools rather than ranking them.</p>