<p>USNWR is a failed magazine that uses some strange variables to determine ranking–only inputs no measure of how school does in educating its students. That someone who would a choose based on what this failed magazine says is crazy! Indeed, even though Princeton has been rated first or near first for many years, it is now several notches down the list of competing for students who are accepted to HYPSM–it is at least fifth or sixth favorite, so at least students are making decisions based on more important factors like --do I like the campus, does the college have my major, how large are clasess?? While I think Princeton is an excellent university, I continue to wonder why they are deemd a “university” anymore, when the other universities on the lists have much bigger grad schools, research facilities and professional schools. With a $17 billion endowment, I wonder why Princeton does not have a medical school? Our nation needs medical schools and doctors --not more Princeton grads working on Wall St. If Princeton was really “in the nation’s service”, it would start a medical school! And it would expand its research facilities. You do not need this size endowment to teach undergrads who mostly major in liberal arts.
From my viewpoint, Stanford has had a tremendous impact on our nation’s economy and has basically been a core reason for the development of the whole high tech sector, software development adn related telecommunications fields. Princeton has no such impact on NJ or the Northeast in any way.</p>