<p>Just out of sheer curiosity, Kansas State accepts 99% of their applicants (basically anyone with a pulse). How then, is it ranked 135th on U.S News and World Report? Not bashing the University, but a school that lets everyone in ranking that high confuses me to no end. </p>
<p>For the record, I don’t claim to understand how these rankings work. lol </p>
<p><a href=“Apply Today | Kansas State University”>Apply Today | Kansas State University; indicates that it has admission standards higher than “basically anyone with a pulse”. But it is easy for the student and high school counselor to know before applying whether the student will be admitted, so it is entirely possible that only students who know they will be admitted apply.</p>
<p>25% of the USNWR rankings are based on a survey of Presidents and Provosts. KSU has some name recognition. The admission rate is certainly a factor but so are other things, including the graduation rate and faculty resources. The details are on the USNWR web site. In looking at the KSU statistics for 2013, I see that it is number 111 in reputation, 132 in financial resources, and 47 in alumni engagement. The rest of the rankings are in the 150’s. The reputation being about 25% pulls up the overall ranking.</p>
<p>All that being said, the USNWR as well as other rankings are not necessarily all that meaningful.</p>