College President Disputes Rankings

U.S. News accused of fabricating average SAT scores

By Heather McPherson, Newser User

Posted Mar 14, 2007 7:43 AM CDT

(Newser) – A college president is lobbing allegations of shoddy journalism at U.S. News magazine, accusing its annual college-ranking guide of fabricating data for its upcoming report. Although Sarah Lawrence tossed out its SAT requirement for incoming freshman, president Michele Tolela Myers says U.S. News decided to assign an average SAT score to the school anyway—one that it made up.

Meanwhile, 10 unnamed liberal arts colleges are forming an alliance to advocate a ban on the "reputational" survey, which bases a full 25% of a school's standing on the comments and critiques of competitors.

Greenhill student Brandon Staub, of Dallas, Texas, got accepted to the University of Pennsylvania after applying for early admission. (KRT Photos)

SAT Test To Be Revamped (Getty Images)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

More Newser Stories

Princeton Wins College Rankings for 8th Year

Annual survey comes under increasing fire for favoring the rich

(NEWSER) - Facing a barrage of criticism, the latest college rankings from U.S. News and World Report were released today, and Princeton is still No.1, followed by Harvard and Yale. The editors have tried to address complaints about the survey's bias toward schools that educate the well-to-do and the well-prepared. But dozens of college presidents are refusing to fully participate in the survey or use the rankings to promote their institutions. More»

Biggest Party Animals Attend Georgia

In student survey, Ohio U. finishes second

(NEWSER) - Good news for parents paying for their kids to study at the University of Georgia: The school is finally No. 1. The bad news: The Princeton Review list ranks the nation's top party schools. "UGA has been on the party school list for a while, but it’s one we prefer not to lead," a university rep tells the Atlanta Journal-Constitution . Too late. "People need to understand the parties go on at night," says a rising senior. "We do actually go to class and study." More»

NY College Offers Freshmen $10K to Wait a Year

Ithaca finds novel solution to over-enrollment

(NEWSER) - Ithaca College faced flagging enrollment last year, so it loosened admissions criteria. But that backfired: The New York school admitted 250 students more than it can accommodate this year. Even after building a temporary dorm, the college still doesn’t have room for 31 of them, so it’s making them an offer: $10,000 to take the year off and start classes next fall, the Ithaca Journal reports. More»

'Snake Oil' College Advisers Can Run $40K

Counselors often embellish record, don't need licenses

(NEWSER) - Independent college counselors promise to use their admissions know-how to get students into the best schools. But there’s no way to evaluate their sometimes extravagant claims, and some charge more than a year’s tuition at many colleges, the New York Times reports. Still, business is booming in the largely unregulated field—despite concerns from college officials. “I guess there are snake oil salesman in every field,” says the president of the University of Pennsylvania. More»

Personality Test to Supplement Grad Exams

Prospective students will be ranked on creativity, ethics

(NEWSER) - For students applying to graduate school, good GREs and warm recommendation letters will soon not be enough. The Educational Testing Service has developed an index for professors and supervisors to use to rank students on a 1-to-5 scale for attributes like teamwork, creativity and integrity. The goal of the questionnaire is to raise the percentage of students that finish grad school by measuring a wider range of traits crucial to success, the Washington Post reports, More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

College President Disputes Rankings

U.S. News accused of fabricating average SAT scores

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

admissions • college admissions • college rankings • college • university • U.S. News

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Princeton Wins College Rankings for 8th Year

Annual survey comes under increasing fire for favoring the rich

Biggest Party Animals Attend Georgia

In student survey, Ohio U. finishes second

NY College Offers Freshmen $10K to Wait a Year

Ithaca finds novel solution to over-enrollment

'Snake Oil' College Advisers Can Run $40K

Counselors often embellish record, don't need licenses

Personality Test to Supplement Grad Exams

Prospective students will be ranked on creativity, ethics

About Us

Site

Newser By Users

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?

College President Disputes Rankings

U.S. News accused of fabricating average SAT scores

Bookmark & Share

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

admissions • college admissions • college rankings • college • university • U.S. News

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Princeton Wins College Rankings for 8th Year

Annual survey comes under increasing fire for favoring the rich

Biggest Party Animals Attend Georgia

In student survey, Ohio U. finishes second

NY College Offers Freshmen $10K to Wait a Year

Ithaca finds novel solution to over-enrollment

'Snake Oil' College Advisers Can Run $40K

Counselors often embellish record, don't need licenses

Personality Test to Supplement Grad Exams

Prospective students will be ranked on creativity, ethics

About Us

Site

Newser By Users

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?