Question about University rankings

[Gizmo j]

In the far future after I complete a Bachelors I plan on going to a graduate school to study Physics and Political Science.

I hope to get accepted into a very prestigious school and I was researching the top ranked schools in America and considered the ones that had an acceptance rate above 20% because it doesn't seem realistic to attend a school that has around 2-7% acceptance rates.

The problem I ran into was that their was 2 different rankings which are "Global University Rankings" and "National University Rankings", at first I thought the only difference between the 2 was that Global Rankings applies to all schools in the world and National Rankings applies to all schools in America.

But it seems like that's not the case because if you look at the Global Rankings and only consider the schools in America, the list is still very different from the National Rankings so I'm a little confused as to which ranking system I should trust.

Any advice?

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Here are Global Rankings with 20%+ Acceptance:

1-Uni Michigan
2-Uni Washington
3-UC San Diego
4-Uni Wisconsin Madison
5-UC Santa Barbara
6-Uni Minnesota twin
7-Uni Texas Austin
8-Uni North Carolina Chapel Hill
9-Ohio State Uni
10-Uni Illinois Urbana Champaign
11-New York Uni
12-Boston Uni
13-UC Davis
14-Uni Pittsburgh


Here are National Rankings with 20%+ Acceptance:

1-Uni notre dame
2-Emory Uni
3-Uni virginia
4-Wake forest Uni
5-Uni Michigan
6-Uni north carolina chapel hill
7-Boston College
8-New york Uni
9-College william and mary
10-Uni rochester
11-Brandeis Uni
12-Georgia institute Technology
13-UC san diego
14-Case Western reserve Uni
15-UC davis
16-Lehigh Uni
17-UC santa barbara

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

If you have enough money to go to graduate school in two disparate fields, not to mention expensive ones, why not skip school and start your own business?

 

[MongGrel]

Well, you can't spell advice right for starters.

NM.

 

[Gizmo j]

Well, you can't spell advice right for starters.

NM.

hahaha

I edited it

 

[dr150]

In the far future after I complete a Bachelors I plan on going to a graduate school to study Physics and Political Science.

I hope to get accepted into a very prestigious school....

Aren't you that 40+ year old guy with the food certificate that wanted to go to only Harvard or MIT?

 

[MongGrel]

hahaha

I edited it

Fail.

 

[Gizmo j]

Aren't you that 40+ year old guy with the food certificate that wanted to go to only Harvard or MIT?

I'm 20 years old and I said I wanted to go to a low cost University to obtain a Bachelors then attend a prestigious graduate school such as MIT or Harvard, no matter how many times I explain this very few people understand.

But now I'm realizing that its more realistic to aim for a school that has a 20% acceptance rate or higher.

 

[dr150]

.....then attend a prestigious graduate school such as MIT or Harvard......

....ts more realistic to aim for a school that has a 20% acceptance rate or higher.

You do realize that graduate school acceptance rates at Harvard and MIT are substantially lower than 20%?

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

OP still hasn't answered what the endgame is or why starting his own business isn't a viable option.

 

[Gizmo j]

You do realize that graduate school acceptance rates at Harvard and MIT are substantially lower than 20%?

I KNOW THAT!!!

The list of schools in my original post are the schools that I feel are more realistic.

The reason I made this thread was to ask which of the 2 Ranking systems I should trust because they give different results.

 

[IronWing]

The reason I made this thread was to ask which of the 2 Ranking systems I should trust because they give different results.

Well, obviously you trust the ranking system that ranked my alma mater higher.


For graduate degrees in a science you go where a faculty member is doing research of mutual interest and has money to fund you. Ranking don't mean squat if the research is not of interest to you or there is no money.

For a poly-sci program, check out ratemyprofessor and find someone you can stomach sleeping with 'cause that's what's going to happen.

 

[dr150]

I KNOW THAT!!!

....No need to shout. We can hear you.

The list of schools in my original post are the schools that I feel are more realistic.

The reason I made this thread was to ask which of the 2 Ranking systems I should trust because they give different results.

We know that you scratched off undergraduate school at Harvard because you found out that they admit only 5%. And you've explained why you're now looking at 20%+ schools.

But you still want to attend Harvard (Poly Sci?) or MIT (physics?) for graduate school. The admit rates are still extremely low.

So what made you shy away from Harvard/MIT for undergrad but not at the graduate level.....which is usually even more competitive for these schools?

It's not as if Harvard/MIT gets easier to get into at the graduate school level than undergraduate.
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BTW, as far as rankings go, look at their ranking criteria and make up your own mind.....and trust what your heart tells you.

 

[LevelSea]

Three words: local community college

 

[JEDIYoda]

Dude, you need to visit them all and then decide!!

 

[SKORPI0]

Three words: local community college

Acceptance rate --> you have a pulse and some $.

 

[lxskllr]

Welding school. Specialize in underwater welding, and rake in the big bucks.

 

[dr150]

Three words: local community college

He's been advised that in the other thread since he claims he had little money after obtaining his food certificate.

But he still wanted to go to Harvard.

He then was advised about how much it cost and the admit rate.

Then after much laborious thought, changed his mind and created this thread.

CC is definitely the best route for him.....or Arizona State.

But he won't listen.

He's made up his mind.

 

[IronWing]

CC is definitely the best route for him.....or Arizona State.

Same thing. :biggrin:

 

[Gizmo j]

We know that you scratched off undergraduate school at Harvard because you found out that they admit only 5%. And you've explained why you're now looking at 20%+ schools.

I have NEVER said that I was trying to attend Harvard as an undergrad, I ALWAYS had the intention to attend as a Graduate. Go look at my previous threads if your not convinced.

I also said I wanted to get a Bachelors at a STATE school such as SDSU, not a very prestigious school.

But you still want to attend Harvard (Poly Sci?) or MIT (physics?) for graduate school. The admit rates are still extremely low.

I still plan on applying to those schools but I'm not getting my hopes up, I am now aiming for a prestigious graduate school that has an acceptance rate of 20% or higher..

He's been advised that in the other thread since he claims he had little money after obtaining his food certificate.

But he still wanted to go to Harvard.

He then was advised about how much it cost and the admit rate.

Then after much laborious thought, changed his mind and created this thread.

CC is definitely the best route for him.....or Arizona State.

But he won't listen.

He's made up his mind.

I am already attending Community College, Its at LA Trade Tech and my major is Computer Information Systems!

 

[Ns1]

CIS/Physics/PoliSci wtf

How do you expect these 3 disparate degrees to help you

 

[WhoBeDaPlaya]

Bachelors doesn't matter if you're aiming to do post-graduate degrees, as long as the institution is somewhat decent.
Then again, I'm an inbred yokel having done both my BS and PhD at ISU.

 

[dr150]

I have NEVER said that I was trying to attend Harvard as an undergrad, I ALWAYS had the intention to attend as a Graduate.

How are we supposed to decipher if you're talking undergrad OR grad?

All we know is that you have a food certificate, have no money, and want to attend Harvard.

You have to be more explicit when you write.



To this effect, I forthwith kindly copy and paste how you worded it in your previous thread:

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As of now I only have my G.E.D and a Culinary Arts certificate so obviously I won't be able to afford a prestigious school.....
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My plan is a little complicated but basically I want to obtain both an Engineering degree and a Political Science degree from a prestigious school such as MIT, Harvard...

Edit: Ok I'm starting to understand how unlikely it is to got to schools such as MIT or Harvard so I think I'll try a school with a higher acceptance rate.....

We're only here to help you, good sir.

Remember.....You came to us....not the other way around. ()

 

[Gizmo j]

CIS/Physics/PoliSci wtf

How do you expect these 3 disparate degrees to help you

The CIS is just for transferring into Computer Engineering or Computer Science when I am finished with my Associates.

You see, I don't have anyone that would support me financially to go to college so I in order to go to a prestigious school I would have to get a well paying night job that I could work in my dorm so I would have time for Classes/Studying.

And If I get a CE or CS degree I should be able to get a telecommute job as a programmer or Computer Support Specialists, I'm also just very interested in electrical gadgets.

As for the Physics degree Its because I want to become a Physicist.

And for Poli Sci I might just minor in that but the reason I want to study it is because I'm just plain interested in politics.

 

[Brainonska511]

As for the Physics degree Its because I want to become a Physicist.

Take it from someone almost done with his PhD - you probably want to think this one through more. You'll be living and breathing your work for 5+ years making shit wages and working long hours. You have to love it to make it through. And at the end, you can expect a post doc where you'll get paid a tiny bit more. Later on, academic positions are highly competitive, few, and far between (but if you want to do this, good for you and good luck). Though, you could always leverage PhD in industry, if you have the right specialty.

But if you want to go the PhD route, why are you not going for a bachelor's in physics? Or at least minoring in physics?

As for programs - for a PhD in sciences it matters little where you go. It matters much more who you work with. You don't have to go to a Harvard or MIT to be successful with a PhD. Of course, where you go for undergrad can give you a leg up on getting into better grad schools and same for the grad school to post-grad leap.

 

[Ns1]

The CIS is just for transferring into Computer Engineering or Computer Science when I am finished with my Associates.

You see, I don't have anyone that would support me financially to go to college so I in order to go to a prestigious school I would have to get a well paying night job that I could work in my dorm so I would have time for Classes/Studying.

And If I get a CE or CS degree I should be able to get a telecommute job as a programmer or Computer Support Specialists, I'm also just very interested in electrical gadgets.

As for the Physics degree Its because I want to become a Physicist.

And for Poli Sci I might just minor in that but the reason I want to study it is because I'm just plain interested in politics.

I'm not sure you know what you want to do for a career.