re: Forbes: America's Top Universities '13 list out...SEC schools ranking

Student Satisfaction (25%)
- Student Evaluations from Ratemyprofessor.com (15%)
- Freshman & Sophomore Retention Rates (5%)
- Predicted Freshman & Sophomore Retention Rates (5%)

Post Graduate Success (35%)
- Salary for alumni from payscale.com (15%)
- American Leaders List (20%)

Student Debt (17.5%)
- Average Student Loan Debt Load (10%)
- Student Loan Default Rates (5%)
- Predicted vs Actual Percent of Students Taking Federal Loans (2.5%)

Four Year Graduation Rate (11.25%)
- Actual Four Year Gratuation Rate (8.75%)
- Predicted vs Actual Four Year Graduation Rate (2.5%)

Academic Success (11.25%)
- Student Nationally Competitive Awards (7.5%)
- Alumni Receiving PhDs (3.75%)


Ratemyprofessor.com counts for 15% of the score...but it is not a reliable rating tool. They do not use a formula to rank schools. Many times, it is just lazy students criticizing the professors who ask them to learn and praising the professors who never show up to class. Here is a gem featured on the website written about a professor: “Try to get her for the 8AM, she’s 15mins late every class due to her train”.