What I've never understood about these type of student input rankings is... There seems to be a disconnect: How can you compare the schools after the data is collected when they are not being compared in the data collection process, i.e. When you ask an undergrad in their 3rd year at U of C (that has never been to another campus, let alone taken a course at another campus, let alone spent a year or more at another campus) how they would rank it, what is their point of comparison?
So these studies are coloured by the types of cultures of discontent that REDVAN pointed out re: UofC; and also by the super-crazy-pride from schools who's students tow the company line better.
From my own experience, having attended 2 Universities on opposite sides of the country, I agree HHF in saying that University is what you make of it. Each institution has its strengths and weaknesses, and different programs will be more emphasized, etc. There will be students that go to less prestigious institutions that come away with "more" (whatever that means) than somebody who half-asses their way through a degree at McGill or UofT, while the opposite holds true as well. So comparisons like this don't make a lot of sense to me.
|