U.S. News and World Report magazine will release its sixth annual "America's Best Graduate Schools" rankings on Fri., Mar. 8. In a break from the past practices, this year's survey does not rank the social sciences or humanities. Once again, however, Yale ranks among the best for its Ph.D. programs in the sciences and for its law, medical, engineering, and business schools.
As expected, Yale Law School earns the top position, followed by Harvard and Stanford. Yale Medical School is ranked third in the nation, after Harvard and Johns Hopkins. The School of Management is ranked 18th among business programs, and Yale's engineering program is ranked 39th. In Ph.D. programs, Yale ranks 10th in physics, 12th in computer science, ninth in geology, ninth in the biological sciences, and 12th in chemistry. According to Robert Morse, director of research for "America's Best Colleges," rankings for non-Ph.D programs were based on reputational surveys and statistical data. For Ph.D. programs, rankings incorporated reputational surveys among department chairs and directors of graduate studies.
Maura Volkmer, LAW '97, expected Yale to keep its top ranking. "Something pretty scandalous would have to happen for it to lose that position," she said. "There is a mystique about Yale that makes it different from other law schools. I am not sure what it is, but it exists."
Kirke Weaver, LAW '97, said, "The rankings are somewhat arbitrary and not a whole lot of stock should be placed in them." However, he believes that the strong sense of community sets Yale apart from other law schools. He feels the lack of a class ranking system and the first semester pass/fail policy cut down on the competitive atmosphere.
Richard Yu, GRD '00, of the MB&B department, believes the program has a few extremely strong specialties, while also providing "a broad focus that other universities do not." He said, "It offers the best of both worlds."
Andrea Toulson, MED '96, said that the strengths of the medical school are its lack of class rank, its "spectacular" Office of Student Affairs, and its student-run community outreach programs. She also said the University encourages research work on all levels with summer research stipends.
Copyright 1996, The Yale Herald, Inc. All rights reserved.
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