<p>I’m pretty sure reputation / peer assessment is the single biggest criterion in their rankings, though (20-25%). The big thing is that climbing from here on out is going to be that much more difficult because Georgetown, etc. has its sh-- together in a way that the lesser schools that USC passed did not.</p>
<p>The gamechanger IMHO is the $6 billion endowment campaign. That should have a big effect on the reputation.</p>
<p>Also, USC needs to focus on improving and growing in ways beyond the stupid U.S. News rankings. They have their place, but they’re not everything, not by a long shot.</p>