<p>I think everyone is well aware of the arguments as to why the US News ranking is not credible. Nonetheless, it does have a tremendous impact on perceptions of universities, and it’s understandable why USC would seek to rise on the list. As a USC parent I think it’s richly deserved, and I am particularly impressed to see that USC also did very well on having one of the most economically diverse student bodies in the nation (third behind UCLA and UC-Berkeley). What does that do to the tired “university of spoiled children” label?</p>