re: 2019 WSJ Academic Rankings - SEC Schools

Many here seem to think that these rankings mainly reflect where the top students enroll.
As you will see below, that is not true, for if it was, UA would rank above most SEC schools. But first let's look at the research output criteria.

If the criteria includes research, it is not surprising that UA is behind. UA has been playing catch up. It doesn't help that it has no Ag, research Med or Vet school. Auburn has two of those three. But UA is rapidly increasing its research endeavors and now has the facilities to compete with the best schools in the land. It already enrolls more undergrad engineering students than Auburn, and the quality of those students exceeds that of Auburn's undergrad engineers, judging by avg ACT scores of enrolled freshmen.

Also, it suffers from a lower than expected graduation rate, partially because it still enrolls way too many subpar students even as it enrolls more top students (ACT of 33 or higher) than any other SEC school, save for Texas A and M. Unlike most SEC schools, UA has a very wide range of middle percentile quality.

If you doubt my claim, look at UA's top 25th percentile ACT of 33 or higher, and look at the size of its freshman classes. With such large freshman classes, it clearly enrolls more top students in absolute numbers than any SEC school save for Texas A and M, even as it enrolls more subpar students too. Texas A and M has a lower top 25th percentile, but has such huge freshman classes, that there is no doubt that it enrolls the most top students in absolute numbers.