However, this new ranking system is controversial because results are unscientific and determined by Wikipedia and social media metrics, and not traditional academic benchmarks such as the SAT or ACT.
For instance, U.S. News & World Report ranks Princeton as the best university in the nation, with Harvard in second place. Yet when reputable alumni including former Vice President Al Gore, NBA star Jeremy Lin, and former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger are calculated in TIME’s algorithm, the Ivy League schools are ranked in reverse.
(Click image to enlarge)
A more dramatic example of TIME’s controversial database is with the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill. U.S. News & World Report ranks UNC Chapel Hill the 30th best university in the nation and Emory University the 20th. However due to the enormous influence of Michael Jordan, a Tar Heel considered the greatest basketball player of all time, TIME favors UNC Chapel Hill nearly eight times more influential than Emory.
(Click image to enlarge)
Since the ranking system pulls data from Wikipedia, will this change the collegiate marketing strategy to one that’s more focused on social media? Why or why not?
Share your thoughts in the comments section below and by following me on Twitter @Michael_eSM.
- The best online programs in 2015 - January 8, 2015
- Number 2: Top 10 Big Data graduate programs - December 30, 2014
- How to invest in the right ed tech - December 25, 2014