Top 10 Psychology Colleges in the USA

This is a ranking of the top 10 traditional psychologycolleges. If you are looking for information aboutonline psychology degrees, . With so many colleges in the USA, how can you find out which one will be best for your needs? As we said in a recent post entitled, Undergraduate Psychology: Picking a College, the college that you pick to get yourpsychology degree should fit right with your learning needs, but that doesn't mean that some schools don't rank higher than others for providing students with a better quality of overall educational experience. When choosing the top colleges for a psychology education, there are a number of important factors to consider. Some factors such as research facilities, are fairly easy to quantify in lists like this. However, the field of psychology has many different concentrations and the school you choose for earning your psychology degreeshould be heavily influenced by the faculty's interests and type of research that gets done at that school. Since psychology as a whole is moving more and more towards being practiced as an empirical science, we've skewed our rankings in favor of those schools which also have strong neuroscience approaches. Here are our top ten choices for the best psychology colleges:

10. UCSD

A university well known for having excellence in the psychology curriculum is the University of California in San Diego. This school is actually one of the best schools when it comes to experimental psychology programs. UCSD is located in one of the most beautiful cities in the nation that is known for its mild, warm weather and has an amazing city transit system. This school was founded in 1960 and currently has over 25,000 students enrolled.

9. University of California in Berkeley

The University of California in Berkeley consistently stays in the top ten psychology schools in the United States. In addition to this, UC Berkeley has 35 different graduate programs that are ranked in the top 10 nationwide. UC Berkeley has a very rich history that dates back to 1869 when it opened with 40 students. This school is located in Berkley, which is around forty-five minutes from San Francisco, an area where housing can sometimes be very expensive. You may consider on-campus housing as a cheaper alternative to renting in the city. The city bus and trolley system in San Francisco is state of the art and can save you a lot of gas money if you don't live right near the school.

8. University of Pennsylvania

The psychology department of the University of Pennsylvania is actually the oldest in North America and first opened its doors in 1887 and since that date has produced some of the top psychological scientists in the world. The University of Pennsylvania itself is actually much older and has the honor of being the first true university in the United States. This school had its first building erected in 1740 and was the brainchild of Benjamin Franklin. Currently, Penn has over 20,000 full-time students and over 4500 professors.

7. U of M Twin Cities

The University of Minnesota’s psychology department opened in 1919 and typically ranks as well as some of the larger, more well knownuniversities. This department has a very wide range of psychology classes in applied fields and really stands out in this area. The psychology department at the U of M works closely with other departments because they realize psychology is changing and new discoveries are happening at an amazing rate in the 21st century. The University of Minnesota is an enormous school with over 51,000 students and 3,100 professors.

6. Harvard

The name of this university says it all. You will be hard pressed to find a school with a better reputation than Harvard. Surprisingly, this school is only number six on the list. Harvard first opened the doors to its psychology department in the 1800s and has been named the best school for graduate level psychology for decades. Harvard is the oldest “school” in the United States and was founded in 1636 but it wasn’t technically considered a university until 1780. Harvard is located in Boston, Massachusetts and currently has almost 20,000 students enrolled.

Some Online Psychology Schools Worth Considering

• University of Phoenix
• Argosy University Online
• Capella University

5. The University Of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

This university boasts an impressive selection of psychology classes such as biological, clinical, developmental, quantitative, and industrial-organizational. The psychology department of UIUC was founded in 1893 by William O. Krohn and since then has built a reputation of excellence in the field of psychology. UIUC spares no expense so the facilities and programs are top of the line in every aspect. This is a very large school and currently has over 40,000 students enrolled.

4. UCLA

The University of California Los Angeles has long been known to be one of the best schools in the nation and their psychology department is top notch. Located in the Westwood area of Los Angeles, UCLA was founded in 1919 and has more applicants per year than any other school in the United States. The psychology program at UCLA specializes in the psychology, cognitive sciences, and psychobiology fields and as an undergraduate, these will be your three choices for major study but you can also minor in gerontology, applied developmental psychology, or cognitive science. UCLA currently has close to 40,000 students enrolled. Traffic can be a factor if you attend UCLA so the school highly encourages you to use public transportation as much as possible.

3. Yale

Yale University is one of the big three along with Stanford and Harvard and is extremely well known as top of the line school. Yale is located in Connecticut and was originally established in 1701 and has always been highly regarded around the world. Especially when it comes to their law program. The psychology program at Yale specializes in research of behavioral neuroscience, clinical psychology, cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, and social/personality psychology. Yale was also listed as second in College Crunch's Top 50 Colleges in 2009 list.

2. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

The University of Michigan offers an amazing psychology program and is home to a tremendous amount of psychological research. This university started in Detroit in 1817 but was moved to Ann Arbor in 1837. The psychology department offers degrees in almost every area of psychology and many of the professors here have been honored for excellence and contributing to new knowledge in the psychology area. There are over 41,000 students currently enrolled in the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

1. Stanford

Just the name Stanford is associated with excellence in almost every way. This school consistently ranks number one in the area of psychology and with good reason. Stanford is the home to 17 different research labs for the psychological study and 5 professors in this department have won awards in 2009 already. The psychology department at Stanford was created in 1892 and since that date, has excelled in every area of psychological study. There are currently just under 15,000 students enrolled at Stanford University in 2009. 

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

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The mission of MIT is to advance knowledge and educate students in science, technology, and other areas of scholarship that will best serve the nation and the world in the 21st century.


The Institute is committed to generating, disseminating, and preserving knowledge, and to working with others to bring this knowledge to bear on the world's great challenges. MIT is dedicated to providing its students with an education that combines rigorous academic study and the excitement of discovery with the support and intellectual stimulation of a diverse campus community. We seek to develop in each member of the MIT community the ability and passion to work wisely, creatively, and effectively for the betterment of humankind.


The Institute admitted its first students in 1865, four years after the approval of its founding charter. The opening marked the culmination of an extended effort by William Barton Rogers, a distinguished natural scientist, to establish a new kind of independent educational institution relevant to an increasingly industrialized America. Rogers stressed the pragmatic and practicable. He believed that professional competence is best fostered by coupling teaching and research and by focusing attention on real-world problems. Toward this end, he pioneered the development of the teaching laboratory.


Today MIT is a world-class educational institution. Teaching and research-with relevance to the practical world as a guiding principle-continue to be its primary purpose. MIT is independent, coeducational, and privately endowed. Its five schools and one college encompass 34 academic departments, divisions, and degree-granting programs, as well as numerous interdisciplinary centers, laboratories, and programs whose work cuts across traditional departmental boundaries.

UCL (University College London)

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Described by The Sunday Times as 'an intellectual powerhouse with a world-class reputation', UCL is consistently ranked as one of the top three multifaculty universities in the UK and features in the top 5 universities worldwide.


UCL is a multidisciplinary university with an international reputation for the quality of its research and teaching across the academic spectrum, with subjects spanning the sciences, arts, social sciences and biomedicine. In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) UCL was rated the best research university in London, and third in the UK overall, for the number of its submissions which were considered of world-leading quality. The RAE confirmed UCLâ??s multidisciplinary research strength with outstanding results achieved across the subjects, ranging from Biomedicine, Science and Engineering, and the Built Environment to Laws, Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities.


Teaching at UCL is 'research-led', meaning that the programmes we offer reflect the very latest research and are often taught by academic staff members who are world-leaders in their fields. UCL has one of the best staff-student ratios in the UK and places a strong emphasis on small group teaching.


As well as being dynamic and intellectually challenging, UCL offers a very cosmopolitan and international environment in which to study. Over 30% of our students are from outside the UK, coming from nearly 140 different countries. UCL also attracts academic staff from around the globe, and international staff and students alike are welcomed for the different perspectives and diversity they bring to teaching and learning at UCL.


The university is located on a compact site in the very heart of London and is surrounded by the greatest concentration of libraries, museums, archives, cultural institutions and professional bodies in Europe.

Yale University

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Yale University was founded in 1701 as the Collegiate School in the home of Abraham Pierson, its first rector, in Killingworth, Connecticut. In 1716 the school moved to New Haven and, with the generous gift by Elihu Yale of nine bales of goods, 417 books, and a portrait and arms of King George I, was renamed Yale College in 1718.


Yale embarked on a steady expansion, establishing the Medical Institution (1810), Divinity School (1822), Law School (1843), Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (1847), the School of Fine Arts (1869), and School of Music (1894). In 1887 Yale College became Yale University. It continued to add to its academic offerings with the School of Forestry & Environmental Studies (1900), School of Nursing (1923), School of Drama (1955), School of Architecture (1972), and School of Management (1974).


As Yale enters its fourth century, it's goal is to become a truly global university?educating leaders and advancing the frontiers of knowledge not simply for the United States, but for the entire world. Richard C. Levin, the president of Yale University, says: ?The globalization of the University is in part an evolutionary development. Yale has drawn students from outside the United States for nearly two centuries, and international issues have been represented in its curriculum for the past hundred years and more. But creating the global university is also a revolutionary development?signaling distinct changes in the substance of teaching and research, the demographic characteristics of students, the scope and breadth of external collaborations, and the engagement of the University with new audiences.?

Harvard University

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Harvard College was established in 1636 by vote of the Great and General Court of Massachusetts Bay Colony, and was named for its first benefactor, John Harvard of Charlestown.


Harvard is America's oldest institution of higher learning, founded 140 years before the Declaration of Independence was signed. The University has grown from nine students with a single master to an enrollment of more than 18,000 degree candidates, including undergraduates and students in 10 principal academic units. An additional 13,000 students are enrolled in one or more courses in the Harvard Extension School. Over 14,000 people work at Harvard, including more than 2,000 faculty. There are also 7,000 faculty appointments in affiliated teaching hospitals.


Our mission, to advance new ideas and promote enduring knowledge, has kept the University young. We strive to create an academic environment in which outstanding students and scholars from around the world are continually challenged and inspired to do their best possible work. It is Harvard's collective efforts that make this university such a vibrant place to live, to learn, to work, and to explore.

International student accommodation

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So you've decided to study abroad. You now need somewhere to stay. This will be your home for the next few years, where you will live, eat, sleep and quite often where your social life will be founded. So take some time to research and explore before making your decision.


Overview
Accommodation is bound to be one of the first things that comes to mind when you consider study abroad and your final decision will be based on a number of factors. There are a variety of options when it comes to international student accommodation, and also a number of considerations and checkpoints you should run through before making your choice - which is also bound to be partially based on personal preference. Whatever your budget, and whether it be university housing or something in the private sector, there will be an option for you.


As an international student, this may be the first time you've lived on your own, or perhaps even your first time abroad. It may also be the first time you have had to manage costs and deal with any aspect of accommodation. It is, therefore, important to realise at the outset that this is a major decision. Your student accommodation will be a place you relax, study, and probably most importantly, meet friends, natives and fellow travellers.


Planning, support and advice
The general rule to bear in mind is that you are responsible for finding your own accommodation, but it is common for your institute to offer help or support, especially when it comes to university accommodation. This support may range from them going as far as actually finding a place for you (should you want to leave this to their judgement), to offering a range of options, to simply advising you the best practise to follow.


As well as advice and assistance from your university, specific organizations exist in most countries whose purpose is to advise and take the burden off the whole process. They also often have connections with various organizations and may be able to find you somewhere should you be having difficulty. (See international study guides for more information on these specific international student accommodation associations). Also be sure to check student notice boards, (especially for house sharing) and local newspapers also often advertise rooms, apartments and houses for rent.


Depending on your preference, and also how well you plan ahead and research the student housing market in your chosen destination, you could end up in anything from a newly refurbished house, to a rundown student haunt.


Types of student accommodation
Depending on where you decide to study, your choices of student accommodation may be quite varied and provide very different experiences. You will also find that in some countries, finding somewhere to stay will be as easy as falling off a log, whilst in others you will have to plan far in advance and often spend more than you may have envisaged.


University housing - Campus accommodation/halls of ResidenceCampus accommodation is university run accommodation, and usually within the confines of the university. There are numerous advantages to this, and as such, this is more often than not the first port of call and the most beneficial choice. You will be close, if not living in the university grounds, so travel is not a concern. Safety is also often taken care off, especially in the UK for example, where there are usually staff or security, day and night, patrolling the housing.


In term of your social life, this is as good a place as any. You will find yourself immersed in the cultures of other international students who have made the same decision as yourself, and also the natives who often stay in Halls for the social aspect of university life. Many Halls of Residence regularly organise social events to spur this on.
There may be some downsides to staying in Halls, but it is often worth making some sacrifices. Kitchens and social areas will be shared. Bathrooms may be en suite, but will quite often also be shared. The quality of the accommodation and amenities may also vary. So be sure to check this out before committing.


No university housing?
Some countries, especially in Central and Western Europe have no campus accommodation at all. Germany and Holland have next to none, whilst in France it is reserved only for recipients of government distributed scholarships.


In such countries, private accommodation will normally be readily available, although sometimes at a heavier cost. The social scene where you live will of course not be the same as in Halls, but will be compensated for in the city life where students are part of every day life and activities, and discounts will are readily available.


Home-stays
Another option, especially in the USA, Canada and Australia, is the option to stay with a native family. Home-stays as they are referred to, can be a great experience, especially for a quieter more reserved type who will not feel comfortable with the buzzing campus life. Your university will often help out, matching your interests with the family to make for the most enjoyable stay. Prices here will include all your meals, and offer the opportunity to learn the language and be part of the every day life and culture that you may otherwise miss out on.


Some countries and institutes will arrange temporary accommodation for you before you leave, allowing you time on arrival to look around and make an informed decision on which type of student accommodation you will opt for.


Beware!
There are certain factors you must be sure to consider both before deciding on your student accommodation, and also at the end of your stay. The following checklist will help you make the right decision and make for a great adventure in a foreign country.


Checklist:


- Does the housing have all the furnishings that you need? Are they of an acceptable standard? Or do you need to provide your own amenities? Consider the following:


-Is there a desk you to work at and enough space for your computer?


-Is the kitchen equipped with cooking utensils?




-Are bed sheets and linen provided?-Are there laundry facilities?


Also:


- Are there additional costs for certain services? Such as laundry?


- Are you given a phone line? Do you have to sort this out yourself? How much will it cost? Do you have a designated internet line?


On completing your tenancy you will most likely encounter another issue - retrieving you deposit. Landlords or institutes will often be extremely fussy in ensuring your apartments is left as you found it, and at the slightest opportunity, will keep some. or all of your deposit.


Make sure that everything on your inventory is there. If not, see if you can replace it yourself, or you will most likely be charged more than it would otherwise cost. Consider the following:


- Is everything clean? Including carpets, curtains, walls.


- Is there any damage?


- Basically, you should try to ensure that as you leave, the apartment looks as if you would expect when you first arrive

| Top Universities student profile: Mina Huynh from Vietnam

Mina Huynh left Vietnam to study at a top university on the other side of the world. She tells TopUniversities.com what it was like as an international student, studying abroad in the UK.

Name: Mina Huynh

Nationality: Vietnamese

Program: LLB Law with Business Studies

University: University of Birmingham

“University life is all about socialising and making friends,” says Mina Huynh. “Living away from my family meant that most of the time I was surrounded by friends. We did everything together such as cooking, shopping and hanging out. I think it is the most enjoyable part of being a student.”

Mina studied for her LLB Law with Business Studies at the University of Birmingham, in the UK - a long way from her home country of Vietnam. “The reason I chose to study at the University of Birmingham was that it was one of the top-ranked universities in the entire UK for legal education. It also has a beautiful campus in Birmingham city, which I found not too big, yet not too small. I would say studying there for three years was the best time of my life.”

Studying abroad came with its challenges, but Mina, who chose to study both law and business as she believed those are the areas needed for any career, says those challenges made her a better person. “Being away from home was challenging for me,” she says. “Especially the time when I was ill and there was no one around to take care of me. Independent life can be stressful at times, but I learnt how to deal with all the difficulties by myself, and not to rely on my family.”

Mina graduated with her LLB degree in 2008, and looking back, says she wishes she had been able to speak with alumni to ask what life would be like in a new country. However, this didn’t stop Mina from making the most of her time studying abroad – both inside and outside of the classroom. “I like socialising – going to a pub, events organized by the university – so I always had the chance to make more friends. Besides, I liked to join university societies such as tango dancing, salsa dancing, basketball etc.”

To study abroad in the UK, Mina received a 25% annual scholarship from the University of Birmingham, but most of her fees were paid for by her family. “My advice to other students thinking of studying abroad would be to apply for a scholarship. It might seem hard due to competition, but you never know until you try, and it is definitely helpful.”

Mina also got a part-time job while studying abroad for her degree. In the UK, international students are allowed to work part-time for 20 hours a week during term time, something else that Mina recommends other international students to consider. “A part-time job gives you extra cash to help your family and yourself. It also allows you to meet up with friends and people, and improve your socialising skills, rather than staying at home and missing your family all of the time”.

“If you can, get a part-time job in the Student Union, such as in marketing, IT or as a receptionist. That way you’ll always get to be involved in the university’s events and know what is going on around you. It will make you feel so much happier to be involved.”

Mina also made the most of her university holidays. “University life allowed me to have more holidays than any other time in my life. And, because the UK is in such a central location, it allowed me to go travelling on budget airlines around Europe, all within one or two hour flights, during Easter, winter and summer holidays.”

Studying abroad for Mina certainly came with its adventures, but it’s an experience she would recommend to many others.

Find out where you can study abroad as an international student when the Top Universities Tour comes to a city near you.

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For a parent who has a son or daughter considering international study, or who may already be studying overseas, it is only natural that you will have endless worries and thoughts running through your head. Our aim here is to put your mind at ease.


International study abroad is a great experience which will help your son grow both academically and personally, and make them a very attractive option to prospective employers. As long as they plan ahead and research where they are going, they are unlikely to run in to any troubles that they would not at home.


Below, we cover some of the basic rules to stay safe, and also what student support services are available to your child should they require someone to talk to or any advice. For further information, see our FAQs.
Travel Safety


All up-to-date travel safety, country and region specific, is updated daily on government websites. The US and UK sites provide all the information you will need wherever your son or daughter may be travelling.


Foreign & Commenwealth Office Foreign Travel Advice


US Department of State Travel information
Health insurance


Most universities require that students have health insurance while studying abroad.
You can feel more comfortable knowing that your child will be covered for all eventualities, so why not give them a hand finding the best and most suitable cover?
Most plans will cover medical emergencies, and should you want them to be covered for prescriptions and other check-ups and treatments, then search through the various policies available.
Food


A common worry as a parent will be ensuring your child is eating regularly and healthily. The first point to note here, is don't worry!


The food may be different to which they are accustomed and take some time to get used to, but most countries will have a wide enough choice to satisfy any tastes. Supermarkets stocking international cuisines are becoming norm, whilst chain restaurants to which many will be used to can be found in most countries.
International student support services


It is only normal to run into difficulties of one sort or another whilst studying abroad, and the only difference from being at home, is finding out who to turn to. Problems could range from personal and emotional, to logistical and legal, but whatever the cause, there will be student support services that can help.


International student support services at the universities should generally be the first port of call. Should the problem lay outside the institution, for example, a problem with private accommodation, or a personal or family problem, the university will always offer support or advice.


International student support services will help your son or daughter settle into a new environment and assist with the practicalities of living abroad and completing of their studies. They will help or advise on aspects of university housing, counselling, health and employment. Should the university be unable to support, there are often alternative bodies designated to international student support.


For further information, see our section on international student support services.

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Blog Entry Comments (3) The Grad School Ranking Surveys Are in the Mail

We've just started the data collection for the upcoming 2010 edition of America's Best Graduate Schools, which will be published in early spring 2009. The statistical survey data collection for business, law, engineering, medicine, and education programs began in late October on our password-secured website. The deadline to complete the statistical surveys is in mid-November 2008.

The grad school peer assessment surveys also have started going out. Our goal was to have all the first mailings sent out by October 28. The peer surveys have roughly eight weeks in the field, with a second survey mailing that will go to those who don't respond the first time. U.S. News works with a contractor, Synovate, to administer the peer survey mailings.

What's new this time? For the 2010 edition, we're doing new peer-assessment-only rankings for Ph.D. programs in English, history, psychology, sociology, political science, economics, and criminology and criminal justice. In addition, we're running new rankings for master's degree programs in library and information studies.

We'll continue to publish new rankings in the larger grad school disciplines. As in the past for the America's Best Graduate School rankings, U.S. News surveys both academics and professionals in business, education, engineering, law, and medicine who give us expert opinions about a program's quality.

For our law school rankings, we're continuing to conduct separate peer surveys in clinical training, dispute resolution, environmental law, healthcare law, intellectual property law, international law, legal writing, tax law, and trial advocacy. We also plan to publish our first-ever rankings of part-time J.D. law programs.

In engineering, we will once again have engineering specialty peer-assessment-only rankings in aerospace/aeronautical/astronautical engineering, biological and agricultural engineering, bioengineering/biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, civil engineering, computer engineering, electrical/electronic/communications engineering, environmental/environmental health engineering, industrial/manufacturing engineering, materials engineering, mechanical engineering, and nuclear engineering. These rankings are based solely on assessments by department heads in each specialty area. The names of department heads came from the American Society for Engineering Education.

Undergrad Business Rankings Have Positive Effect on B-Schools

The U.S. News undergraduate business school rankings are having a number of "very positive outcomes that can favorably affect the nature of undergraduate business programs." That is one key conclusion from "Behind the Curtain of the Beauty Pageant: An Investigation of U.S. News Undergraduate Business Program Rankings," a 2010 dissertation by Pam Perry, Associate Dean and Director, Undergraduate Programs at the University of Arizona Eller College of Management.

Perry's paper analyzed the U.S. News undergraduate business school rankings to determine what impact they were having on business education. It joins a rapidly expanding body of literature on college and business school rankings that analyzes the impact the rankings have on colleges, universities, prospective students, and their parents.

Based on a detailed analysis of U.S. News survey respondents, Perry concludes that the stability of the top 50 undergraduate business rankings have had a positive effect on business eduction. Below are some of what Perry calls "the good behaviors" from the rankings:

1. Because over the last twenty years the U.S. News undergraduate business program rankings have changed very little, the stable membership in the top 50 [greatly reduces] the competition and provides an "annual pageant" with little negative fall-out, as ranking outcomes are small and movement is insignificant.

2. Contrary to popular belief, the mysterious, "black-box" sentiment of this perception-based scoring provides little significant reason to "game" the [ranking] ballot. According to my subjects, the U.S. News peer-based ranking systems do not yield the gaming behavior that other kinds of ranking rubrics encourage. [See U.S. News's undergraduate business school ranking methodology] .

3. Top positioned schools seem to be on their best "big brother and sister behaviors" when interacting with second-tier schools, given that thousands of school administrators can vote. Without this ranking, these highly ranked schools might fall into the pattern of creating their own affinity groups and becoming very exclusive in their interactions.

4. Because most are uncertain about how to influence reputation, schools employ direct marketing and communication strategies. While some report annoyance by over the top cross-marketing, others are grateful for the exposure to best practices.

5. Given the appeal of rankings to stakeholders, especially students, the competition for top marks [in the ranking] has created a market-driven model of consumer service [at b-schools].

6. This ranking is good for creating prestige for business schools in large science universities where traditional science research and large grant contracts garner most attention in budget and resource decisions. The annual ranking announcements get business schools regular features in local and state press, resulting in stakeholder attention.

7. The U.S. News ranking is extremely clever to enlist the judging efforts of both the strategic big picture [b-school] deans that are well connected to faculty and the dedicated operational associate deans that are more dedicated to their schools through students, recent alumni, and other relationships.

8. Faculty can be the big winners in this ranking game. As a result, well-known faculty become brands themselves and often attract other star faculty while brightening the reputation of a given school.

What is U.S. News's take on these conclusions? Rankings are here to stay and will remain controversial. The debate over the unintended consequences of rankings and whether they have a good or bad impact on academia will continue. However, it's clear that some believe that rankings can have a favorable effect on institutions and students.

Last Call for College Photos

School officials: This is your last chance to submit photos of your college or university for inclusion in the new and improved Education section of usnews.com. More than 500 schools have already submitted photos of campus buildings, student life, and more. The photos will be added to each school's Web page on usnews.com in the coming weeks—and there are still two more days to ensure your school's page has photos, too. The deadline to submit photos is Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2011.


These photos will greatly enhance the appearance of your school's redesigned page and will give our student and parent users a much better feel for your school's unique aspects. By uploading photos, you can differentiate your school and showcase your campus experience, sporting events, student life, and more. School officials can get a sneak preview of what a redesigned school page will look like with and without photos by contacting.


School officials can upload photos to usnews.com through our free and easy-to-use photo tool. We have sent invitations to use the tool to public relations offices at every school, but if we contacted the wrong person at your school to get the photo process started.

LSAT Will Still Be Weighted Heavily in Law School Rankings

There are serious discussions underway in the legal education community about whether the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT), which is now a mandatory requirement for admission to law school, will become a voluntary requirement. An American Bar Association (ABA) committee is considering proposing changes to the ABA's current law school accreditation standards that would allow law schools to make the LSAT optional.


This potential change is a long way from happening, since the committee has to make its final report, and then the full Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar would have to make any final decision on an accreditation rule change. The earliest time such a decision could be made by the ABA would be in 2012 or even later. So, it could be a few years away before law schools potentially change their admissions policies for incoming students.


U.S. News is watching closely whether, when, and how the LSAT requirement is changed since law school admissions data counts for 25 percent of our annual Best Law Schools rankings. The combined median LSAT of all full-time and part-time students entering into a J.D. program is one of the key components of our rankings. The U.S. News law school rankings methodology weights the LSAT at 12.5 percent of the overall ranking. In addition, the median undergraduate grade-point average of all entering J.D. students is weighted 10 percent of the overall ranking, and the overall acceptance rate counts for 2.5 percent. We believe that comparing law schools on their students' LSATs and undergraduate GPAs is the most direct way of determining which schools have enrolled the "best and brightest" students—and therefore will remain important criteria in determining which are the nation's top law schools.


One key question is what law schools will do it if they are given the right to make the LSAT optional. Would the behavior of law schools mirror recent trends in undergraduate admissions that have seen a growing number of colleges make submitting the SAT and ACT optional for prospective students? The colleges that have made these tests optional say that they see an increase in the number of applicants from a more socioeconomic diverse group of students, without sacrificing academic quality and performance. However, generally speaking, the top-ranked schools in the U.S. News Best Colleges rankings have not gone test-optional for undergraduate admissions. The highest ranked schools still believe that the SAT and ACT tests are measuring something important. Interestingly, even for the test-optional schools, a majority of their students still tend to submit either the SAT or ACT test for consideration.


It's likely that a very large proportion of law students will continue to take and submit the LSAT, even if it's made optional at some schools. It is important to note that the LSAT has been proven to be the best and most reliable predictor of first year success at law school. With that in mind, U.S. News will continue to conduct the annual law school rankings, and the LSAT will remain a heavily weighted factor.

Students Say Rankings Aren't Most Important Factor in College Decision

Once again, social science research is refuting the often-cited myth that U.S. News's Best Colleges rankings are the main reason that the average student chooses one school over another. That conclusion comes from UCLA's just-released "The American Freshman: National Norms Fall 2010," a highly respected national survey based on the responses of 201,818 students at 279 U.S. colleges and universities.


The UCLA survey asks students to rate which factors were "very important" in influencing their decision to attend a particular college. Incoming fall 2010 freshmen could choose as many of the 22 reasons listed as they wanted. The college rankings finished in 11th place, up from 12th place in last year's survey. So, at least based on this nationwide sample of freshmen from all types of colleges, students are using the rankings responsibly—as just one factor in the college search process.


[Learn how to use the college rankings wisely.]


These results also serve as a validation of the U.S. News Best Colleges rankings methodology that weights undergraduate academic reputation at 22.5 percent. Prospective students in the UCLA survey rated whether a college has a good academic reputation as being the No. 1 factor that influences their school choice, indicating their belief that a college's reputation matters a great deal. U.S. News's Best Colleges rankings measure the relative reputations of colleges and include this as an important factor.


Below are the 22 reasons for choosing a college that students were offered in the UCLA survey. They are ranked in descending order, based on which factors students said were "very important" in influencing their final selection.


1. College has very good academic reputation (62.0 percent)


2. This college's graduates get good jobs (53.3 percent)


3. I was offered financial assistance (45.5 percent)


4. A visit to the campus (41.8 percent)


5. The cost of attending this college (41.0 percent)


6. College has a good reputation for social activities (39.5 percent)


7. Wanted to go to a college about this size (38.7 percent)


8. Grads get into good grad/professional schools (32.2 percent)


9. Wanted to live near home (19.0 percent)


10. Information from a website (17.9 percent)


11. Rankings in national magazines (16.7 percent)


12. Parents wanted me to go to this school (13.7 percent)


12. Admitted early decision and/or early action (13.7 percent)


14. Could not afford first choice (12.2 percent)


15. High school counselor advised me (9.6 percent)


16. Not offered aid by first choice (8.9 percent)


17. Athletic department recruited me (8.8 percent)


18. Attracted by religious affiliation/orientation of college (7.3 percent)


19. My teacher advised me (6.0 percent)


19. My relatives wanted me to come here (6.0 percent)


21. Private college counselor advised me (3.5 percent)


22. Ability to take online courses (2.7 percent)