World Ranking: McGill (20), UBC (34), UT (41), UA (74), UM (91), McMaster (117)...

[jjfz3000]

117. Queen's University
129. University of Waterloo
159. The University of Western Ontario
164. SFU
170. UC
197. Dalhousie

http://www.usnews.com/articles/education/worlds-best-colleges/2008/11/20/worlds-best-colleges-and-universities-top-200.html?PageNr=1

What do you guys think?

Accurate? Fair? Relevant?

[drowsy]

What do you guys think?

Accurate? Fair? Relevant?

nonsense.

[bestknightmare]

for me, its hard to know what to trust with these rankings.

4 years ago, Western was much higher (in the Maclean's ranking), like 2nd or 3rd under the Medical/Doctorate category

but in the recent years, it dropped to about 7 or so. I don't really know what to make of these statistics.

On a side note, about 2-3 years ago, universities across Ontario were no longer obligated to release education info to these reports, hence I don't know where they get their information from anymore.

[UWO Engineer]

How can you accurately, objectively and fairly rank hundreds of schools worldwide? It's simply not possible to conjure up an objective means for which to rank every school in the world. Hell, localized rankings among Canadian schools only, are widely debated and questioned...nevermind world rankings.

I wouldnt put to much stock into it

[jjfz3000]

for me, its hard to know what to trust with these rankings.

4 years ago, Western was much higher (in the Maclean's ranking), like 2nd or 3rd under the Medical/Doctorate category

but in the recent years, it dropped to about 7 or so. I don't really know what to make of these statistics.

On a side note, about 2-3 years ago, universities across Ontario were no longer obligated to release education info to these reports, hence I don't know where they get their information from anymore.

All the information used here are either public information or are provided by third-parties.

[funzone36]

How Mcgill is ranked higher in engineering and IT compared to Waterloo is proof that this ranking is nothing more than cooked bullcrap.

[alex_d10]

nonsense.

That.

[blarg]

9627. Ryerson

lololololololol

[geronimo]

Worldwide rankings of universities are silly and even more inaccurate than national rankings. Besides, I am very proud of my university and I prefer to think of it as being amongst the best, and that's all that matters.

[DuDe1411]

is a person that graduated from harvard better than a person that graduated from a no brand university/college?

[RussiaRulez]

Worldwide rankings of universities are silly and even more inaccurate than national rankings. Besides, I am very proud of my university and I prefer to think of it as being amongst the best, and that's all that matters.

You should be institutionalized for you delusional proclamations.

[failget]

This review is done by the Times (UK paper), and UK, Canadian, and Australian universities do better than they should because of the common wealth bias.

[RussiaRulez]

is a person that graduated from harvard better than a person that graduated from a no brand university/college?

In every way...life will be sweeter and longer.

[gman]

is a person that graduated from harvard better than a person that graduated from a no brand university/college?

How do you define better? The one graduated in Harvard will have better connection than a no brand university/college. That is they have a better address book and most of the time, that matters the most.

[nyrz]

How do you define better?

Some universities are depressing- you have to walk in depressing halls / buildings, your classmates are not the best, your professors or lecturers are not the best, etc.

[wkye]

This is actually just a duplicate of the THES ranking. There are a lot of questionable things here, such as UCLA ranking higher than Berkeley. I believe last year they even put U of HK above Stanford. So this list should not be taken too seriously.

[TeriyakiJack]

While it means nothing scientifically/statistically. I believe that these things DO bear meaning in the real world. Universities that place in the top10 will obviously ring more bells in most peoples minds since they are famous for being "top10" etc. Sometimes, a university degree is nothing more than a brand-name on a piece of paper. The Harvard brand will obviously be worth much more than something that is ranked say like no.259 on any of these lists.

So a list like this is sort of synonymous with the recognizability of the schools listed, in a generalized world-wide scope. I'm just glad my "brand" ranks in the top 50.

[nalababe]

While it means nothing scientifically/statistically. I believe that these things DO bear meaning in the real world. Universities that place in the top10 will obviously ring more bells in most peoples minds since they are famous for being "top10" etc. Sometimes, a university degree is nothing more than a brand-name on a piece of paper. The Harvard brand will obviously be worth much more than something that is ranked say like no.259 on any of these lists.

So a list like this is sort of synonymous with the recognizability of the schools listed, in a generalized world-wide scope. I'm just glad my "brand" ranks in the top 50.

It all depends. Working in the US only McGill was recognized by name (though everyone "expected" that there was a University of Toronto). Here in Canada (particularly in Toronto), because of it size, no one is impressed when someone says they went to U of T (save Trinity)...but say Queen's and you'll get something like "wow, must be smart then". Now, I know that programs vary, but as a general university that is what I have expereinced over the past decade of life in the real world.

[I am XeNo]

How Mcgill is ranked higher in engineering and IT compared to Waterloo is proof that this ranking is nothing more than cooked bullcrap.

Well if the person who ranked the schools lives in a different country, has never visited the schools and has not even spoken to the major employers of the graduates, how can you expect them to create an accurate ranking?

Those ranking websites are just an advertisement for some of the US schools, who frankly, need the advertisement to maintain recognition on the world stage.

[flexwong]

is a person that graduated from harvard better than a person that graduated from a no brand university/college?

yes. of course. the harvard grad probably shared classes with future CEOs, presidents, prime ministers, policy makers and various sons and daughters of wealthy families. just the connections alone make them better then "no brand" university grads.

[jstaneon]

dont they have an real majors like Business and Finance? :confused:

[jstaneon]

yes. of course. the harvard grad probably shared classes with future CEOs, presidents, prime ministers, policy makers and various sons and daughters of wealthy families. just the connections alone make them better then "no brand" university grads.

agreed 100%.

[adehbone]

The US News actually does a very good job in their rankings and is prolly one of the best. Now of course they are more accurate for US Schools, but for McGill/UBC/UT to be in the top 40 is no real surprise. Also the Ivy league and top UK schools will always be in the top 10.

As well you should read how the rankings are developed, like both Berkeley and Stanford are rated lower because they have low "Student-to-Faculty" ratios compared to other schools, which is prolly true, as the class sizes may be larger but the academics they are both rated "100".

[adehbone]

is a person that graduated from harvard better than a person that graduated from a no brand university/college?

First year economics students at Harvard take classes with Mankiw. 90% of economics classes in Canada introduce Macroeconomics by using his book, which is better someone reading off the book or the man in person?

Likewise at Yale and Robert Shiller.

[MizTEcK]

home schooled > all

[gman]

is a person that graduated from harvard better than a person that graduated from a no brand university/college?
How do you define better? The one graduated in Harvard will have better connection than a no brand university/college. That is they have a better address book and most of the time, that matters the most.
Some universities are depressing- you have to walk in depressing halls / buildings, your classmates are not the best, your professors or lecturers are not the best, etc.

The 'better' we were talking about was about a person (the student) and not about the university.

[HockeyFan]

Completely useless. They don't rank by subject area. They just throw them into large categories like "life sciences". Well that includes many topics.

I don't go to UVic, but I know they are supposed to be one of the best in Canada for Mathematics. If you go by the overall ranking they don't look so good, but if you are studying in that field it wouldn't make sense to be going to a university that has an overall ranking of 20 when you want 1st in mathematics.

[atomicspacemonkey]

Completely useless. They don't rank by subject area. They just throw them into large categories like "life sciences". Well that includes many topics.


Absolutely. Couldn't've said it better.

Also, where the heck is the University of Guelph on this list? Gryphons rock!

[penquinbum]

is a person that graduated from harvard better than a person that graduated from a no brand university/college?

Yes, I am :evil:...and more modest, too.:D Incidentally, it should be "who", not "that"


and to Atomicspacemonkey; Guelph? Is that a place or the sound of a burp after too many beers? GWELLLLLLLFFFFF!!!>:(

[OpportunityChaos]

ryerson got ranked as a college :confused:

[needinformation]

117. Queen's University
129. University of Waterloo
159. The University of Western Ontario
164. SFU
170. UC
197. Dalhousie

http://www.usnews.com/articles/education/worlds-best-colleges/2008/11/20/worlds-best-colleges-and-universities-top-200.html?PageNr=1

What do you guys think?

Accurate? Fair? Relevant?


A couple of things, only the first 50 really matter or maybe top 100.
After that the difference is small.

I mean, 150 compared to 151 or 175 the quality is pretty much going to be similar unless they are specilized schools. The really top school are the first 15 or 20 if that. After that they are all strong and they have their own working models of education.

The sources that you got is stricly u.s, while it is credible there are think tanks dedicated to ranking universities in a more thorough and comprehensive manner.

One thing though, I like how they bring up U. of Waterloo. This university is really underated, it is highly concentrated in technology, its undergraduates work hard but they really get well paying position for the most part.

[EugW]

It's interesting how those criteria are counted. For example, it seems McGill gets much of its #20 ranking based on its student to faculty ratio of 99 and its international students ratio of 95, but it has a poor citations per faculty score of 51.

In contrast, #41 U of T has low scores for student to faculty ratio and international students, but has the maximum citations per faculty score of 100.

[MisDimantion]

you should be institutionalized for you delusional proclamations.

loooool +1

[gwu]

Worldwide rankings of universities are silly and even more inaccurate than national rankings. Besides, I am very proud of my university and I prefer to think of it as being amongst the best, and that's all that matters.

This coming from the guy with a UofT crest in his name... :lol:

[HBP]

This coming from the guy with a UofT crest in his name... :lol:

UT is getting blasted for the cash grabbing practices. Good to see. Perhaps there will be some smaller classes for undergrads soon.

[Engi-Nir]

Engineering (waterloo is at 30 cause it is only strong in Computer eng/IT),
10. uoft
18 Mcgill
22 UBC
30 Wateroo,
46 Alberta

Arts&Sci

11. UofT
13. McGill
18. UBC

Life Sciences/Bio
10. McGill
13. UofT
14. UBC
45. Alberta

[twitchyzero]

UBC is overrated.

that is all. :D

[HBP]

UBC has a nice campus right? I'd like to check it out at some point.

[xt21]

LOL so sad!

9627. Ryerson

lololololololol

[Adage]

The fact that Waterloo got a score of 69 in Employer Review Score and McGill got a 97 is proof that the list is a joke. You don't give the world's best co-op program a '69' in employer review score. Because frankly, that's impossible.

[Aznsilvrboy]

The fact that Waterloo got a score of 69 in Employer Review Score and McGill got a 97 is proof that the list is a joke. You don't give the world's best co-op program a '69' in employer review score. Because frankly, that's impossible.

Waterloo is a CS/Math/Engineering focused school, and surely it receives high employer rating for those subjects, the other programs however...

I can definitely see McGill's overall employer review score being higher than Waterloos because McGill is an all-around school.

[baller89]

9627. Ryerson

lololololololol

LOL:lol:

[HBP]

The fact that Waterloo got a score of 69 in Employer Review Score and McGill got a 97 is proof that the list is a joke. You don't give the world's best co-op program a '69' in employer review score. Because frankly, that's impossible.

You're misunderstanding what Employer Score means. Shame Waterloo education couldn't help you with that :P