At #28 Tsinghua University, rules were made to be broken
Although rankings are all based on subjective measures, and some would say, culturally biased methodology, I feel compelled to look at them anyway. Snapshot rankings mean very little since each list has their own measure and variable that need to be weighted based on someone's opinion of what is important. The true value of rankings lies in observing their changes within a measurable and consistent time period (assuming that the same methodology and formula for calculating the rankings stay constant).
As you can see in the 2006 rank, Peking (Beida) University at #14 is quite respectable. Last year it was at #15. Tsinghua has lept up to #28 after being tied for #62 last year. India's best showing occurs with IITat #57 dropping from #50 last year. We also see that Tokyo University (Todai) has dropped tp #19 this year after being #16 last year. This means that the first Non-US and non-English university in this year's list remains Peking University, just like last year.
In a related previous post, I discussed the rise or irregularities of Chinese higher education and the value of American education. One thing that I forgot to mention was that American higher education has become flooded with Asian applicants. There is even a recent article from the New York Times of how American universities have too many Asian students over-representing their demographic presence in the general population. Of course, I too represent that trend but it seems to be a growing issue.
From IHT
Across the United States, at elite private and public universities, Asian enrollment is near an all-time high. Asian-Americans make up less than 5 percent of the population but typically make up 10 to 30 percent of students at the nation's best colleges: In 2005, the last year with across-the-board numbers, Asians made up 24 percent of the undergraduate population at Carnegie Mellon and at Stanford, 27 percent at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 14 percent at Yale and 13 percent at Princeton.
One of my schools showed up at a decent #215 from last year's #235 with the other remaining #1 both this year and last. I take perverse joy in pointing out to my many colleagues from Stanford that their institution went from #5 last year to #6 this year.
Now for best companies in the US, we see Google popping up to #1 this year after not even making the top 100 last year. Microsoft seems to have dropped to #50 this year after being #42 last year. Although you will find some consulting companies on this list, you will notice that you will not find McKinsey on this list or last? Is it really that bad?
From TopUniversities.com
(via chineseinvancouver)
From CNNMoney.com