Maths professor challenges ‘US News’ ranking of Columbia

The New York Times 20 March 2022

Everyone knows that students buff their résumés when applying to college. But a mathematics professor is accusing Columbia University of buffing its own résumé – or worse – to climb the all-important US News & World Report rankings of best universities, writes Anemona Hartocollis for The New York Times.

Michael Thaddeus, who specialises in algebraic geometry at Columbia, has challenged the university’s number two ranking this year with a statistical analysis that found that key supporting data was “inaccurate, dubious or highly misleading”.

In a 21-page blistering critique on his website, Dr Thaddeus is not only challenging the rating but redoubling the debate over whether college rankings – used by millions of prospective college students and their parents – are valuable or even accurate. But Columbia said it stood by its data. Officials said they strove to meet the technical requirements as set by US News.
Full report on The New York Times site

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