The Pointless Rankings

[Chrono Trigger]

I have a premium edition to U.S. News which expires this April. I thought I may as well share the wealth for those who were interested. After visiting schools all across the country I think rankings mean nothing now. But for those who are curious I can post screen shots for you.

I will put up photography and painting. If you want to see another discipline just let me know.

EDIT: I cannot get the image to load as large as it looks on my desktop...cause photo bucket downsizes it to 800 x 600 pixels.

PHOTO:

PAINTING/DRAWING:

Edited February 5, 2011 by Chrono Trigger

[Another]

I always think of those rankings as more of a measure of a school's influence and reputation. It's important to find a program that suits your own practice, and there isn't a survey out there that can tell you which school is best for you. Still, going to a school with a good reputation has its benefits and shouldn't be entirely discounted.

Which of these rankings do you find the most misleading?

[Chrono Trigger]

I actually had a long discussion with the chairmen of my undergraduate photography department. He said to me the only thing the rankings will help you out with is getting noticed out of a pile of applicants when applying to a teaching job.

It will higher your chances of getting a job interview but it does guarantee a job. It all comes down to the person and their work. A degree is just a title and it does not say what you can do =)

So I agree with you. Go to the school that you like not what U.S. News ranks as the best.

To me personally the most misleading ranking would be from 26-11 in the painting. I know I am a photographer so I am no expert when it comes to the painting rankings. But I would personally change the order of some of those.

[Payne]

I completely agree with finding a program that fits with you and your practice, and these rankings are irrelevant when it comes to finding that fit. I wonder why there is no recent rankings done in 2009 or 2010. I'm also curious as to how & why Yale is ranked #1 when it's not even a sole art school like SAIC, RISD, or MICA. I can see why if all they thought about was the facilities because their facilities are top notch, but that's all I can really think of. Otherwise, it seems like it's all just narcissistic, self-congratulatory "reputation" and "influence" factors. Why does it cost so much more to apply (& interview, to have to ship all those artworks) at Yale and Columbia compared to other art schools like SAIC (who gives a discounted app. fee of $40), RISD, MICA, Cranbrook etc ($60 app fee). Is it to discourage economically/financially disadvantaged people from applying? Even though they like to act as if they promote diversity?

I always think of those rankings as more of a measure of a school's influence and reputation. It's important to find a program that suits your own practice, and there isn't a survey out there that can tell you which school is best for you. Still, going to a school with a good reputation has its benefits and shouldn't be entirely discounted.

Which of these rankings do you find the most misleading?

[Chrono Trigger]

Most of these top schools are elitists in my opinion. I think they choose students who can afford to go not necessary the best.

[savethewolves]

Can you post the Sculpture rankings - and/or New forms/ New genres/ Combined Media -- -whatever they call it?

Those would be fun to see.... Thanks

I agree that these rankings are somewhat random and irrelevant, but I'm still curious.

[Chrono Trigger]

Can you post the Sculpture rankings - and/or New forms/ New genres/ Combined Media -- -whatever they call it?

Those would be fun to see.... Thanks

I agree that these rankings are somewhat random and irrelevant, but I'm still curious.

Hey I sure will. I just logged in and it looks as if they have updated, I am going to redo the photo and painting as well.

[Chrono Trigger]

I did not see a combined media but I saw multimedia.

Multimedia

[Chrono Trigger]

Sculpture

[Chrono Trigger]

Photography

[Chrono Trigger]

Finally...

Painting

[mooncake]

Hey, I think the U.S.News rankings is available to view for free in general (even the specialty listings). But the version I see is different from yours, although both say it's ranked in 2008. What's up with that??

http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-fine-arts-schools/fine-arts-rankings

[Another]

Thanks for sharing. I pulled out all the useful info.

Multimedia:

1. RISD

2. Yale

3. SAIC

4. MICA

4. VCU

7. CalArts

7. Carnegie Mellon

7. UCLA

11. Art Center

15. SVA

15. UCSD

21. RIT

30. NYU

37. USC

Sculpture:

1. RISD

2. Yale

3. SAIC

4. Cranbrook

4. MICA

4. VCU

7. CalArts

7. Carnegie Mellon

7. UCLA

10. Alfred U.

11. CCA

11. Columbia

14. Temple

15. Bard

15. U. of Texas – Austin

21. Hunter

21. Ohio State

21. U. of Wisconsin – Madison

37. U. of Georgia – Athens

50. Syracuse U.

Photography:

1. RISD

2. Yale

3. SAIC

4. Cranbrook

4. MICA

7. CalArts

7. UCLA

11. CCA

11. Columbia

14. Temple

15. Bard

15. SVA

21. RIT

30. Arizona State

30. SFAI

37. U. of Georgia – Athens

45. U. of Arizona – Tucson

50. U. of New Mexico – Albuquerque

Painting:

1. RISD

2. Yale

3. SAIC

4. Cranbrook

4. MICA

4. VCU

7. CalArts

7. UCLA

11. CCA

11. Columbia

14. WUSTL

15. Bard

15. SVA

15. Temple

15. U. of Texas – Austin

21. Hunter

21. U. of Iowa – Iowa City

21. U. of Wisconsin – Madison

30. Indiana U. – Bloomington

30. Rutgers

30. SFAI

37. SMFA

37. U. of Georgia – Athens

37. U. of Illinois – Chicago

37. USC

37. U. of Washington – Seattle

45. U. of Pennsylvania – Philadelphia

[mooncake]

OK. I think that list is wrong. Because I know for certain that RIT has always been within the top 5 for grad photo in the USNews rankings. I think those screen captures are scrambled... not that it matters... right?

[Chrono Trigger]

It changed last night for me. I have to agree and say they seem more off as UNM goes from 5 to 50 in photography. It may be because I have a premium edition. And if RIT were ranked top or bottom of the ladder you should apply if you want to be there. One of my teachers went to RIT.

[Payne]

Thanks for sharing this, Chrono Trigger. Just curious, what year did they say these new rankings were done? The site is still showing rankings done in 2008. The painting list is interesting (it kind of looks like the general Fine Arts list). If this is right, there are significant changes: RISD beat Yale in #1, Cranbrook went up to #4 (from #10), Columbia, Temple/Tyler, Hunter, & SFAI went down, CalArts & CCA went up. I kind of see why Hunter would go down in the list, I was surprised it was initially ranked #11. I visited the MFA building a couple of months ago, got to see their MFA show and I was underwhelmed. But I was impressed with the gallery space they have. The building also looks so dingy, though it's in a pretty good location. I visited Columbia too (late last year) and I was underwhelmed with the MFA work too. At least Hunter's tuition is much cheaper. I'm glad to see Cranbrook up in the list, I think their MFA work is very impressive (from their website). And in my opinion, RISD is much better than Yale, especially in painting and art in general. I think SAIC is better than Yale as well (based on MFA work, faculty and facilities). I also don't really understand why CalArts is so high up the list in painting, I thought they don't like painting there (based on a convo I had with a grad coordinator). I thought they were more focused on performance.

It changed last night for me. I have to agree and say they seem more off as UNM goes from 5 to 50 in photography. It may be because I have a premium edition. And if RIT were ranked top or bottom of the ladder you should apply if you want to be there. One of my teachers went to RIT.

[hullo]

If you're applying to school based solely on its ranking, you're probably applying for the wrong reasons. Take rankings with a grain of salt and be sure to do some legitimate research on each school. Just my thoughts.

[Payne]

Just to clarify, I think these rankings are interesting to look at, it shows the schools' reputation and influence. Just because I find it interesting to view doesn't prove or mean I applied to schools based solely on rankings. I am not encouraging applicants to apply based solely on rankings either. In over 2 years, I visited schools, did research, looked at faculty work and students work, took into consideration location, financial factors, etc. to find out what school is the best fit for me and my work.

[hullo]

Just to clarify, I think these rankings are interesting to look at, it shows the schools' reputation and influence. Just because I find it interesting to view doesn't prove or mean I applied to schools based solely on rankings. I am not encouraging applicants to apply based solely on rankings either. In over 2 years, I visited schools, did research, looked at faculty work and students work, took into consideration location, financial factors, etc. to find out what school is the best fit for me and my work.

I agree on all points then! Rankings just have a tendency to be problematic when followed as definitive guide to which school is "best."

[Payne]

In reviewing the new list for painting that was posted here, I was just trying to point out that since these rankings do exist, they (whoever these "peers" who make up these rankings) might as well try to be impartial about it, and try to view the schools in a better perspective.

[Chrono Trigger]

Thanks for sharing this, Chrono Trigger. Just curious, what year did they say these new rankings were done? The site is still showing rankings done in 2008. The painting list is interesting (it kind of looks like the general Fine Arts list). If this is right, there are significant changes: RISD beat Yale in #1, Cranbrook went up to #4 (from #10), Columbia, Temple/Tyler, Hunter, & SFAI went down, CalArts & CCA went up. I kind of see why Hunter would go down in the list, I was surprised it was initially ranked #11. I visited the MFA building a couple of months ago, got to see their MFA show and I was underwhelmed. But I was impressed with the gallery space they have. The building also looks so dingy, though it's in a pretty good location. I visited Columbia too (late last year) and I was underwhelmed with the MFA work too. At least Hunter's tuition is much cheaper. I'm glad to see Cranbrook up in the list, I think their MFA work is very impressive (from their website). And in my opinion, RISD is much better than Yale, especially in painting and art in general. I think SAIC is better than Yale as well (based on MFA work, faculty and facilities). I also don't really understand why CalArts is so high up the list in painting, I thought they don't like painting there (based on a convo I had with a grad coordinator). I thought they were more focused on performance.

The funny thing is it does not display the year now...at least for me. But when I first made this topic it just showed the 2008 rankings as it always use to. Last night as I logged in to get the sculpture I noticed how the entire layout and rankings had changed! The menu is different too, I can look up a school's name and it may be ranked outside of the top 50...some of them are not ranked though and will not show up.

Ok I promise...this will be the last of the screen shots but just so you can see what I mean. (I know its hard to see but you can see they have a school ranked 76th)

[michaelwebster]

I would like to see a list of where the people who voted went to school and compare that to the rankings. It used to be the top two administrators in the art school/department who voted in the rankings, I am not sure if the new ones were done this way.

[helec2003]

there is a trend of higher ranked institutions getting top tier visiting artists - great contacts.

I do wish they would tell us what they are basing their rankings on. faculty prestige? facilities? success of graduates? acceptance rate?

I wasn't expecting a lot of changes in sculpture since the last round but some schools moved around a lot. VCU was dethroned, Wisconsin fell from 11 to 21... what does that mean? anything at all?

Does this round of rankings take into consideration that Yale apparently lost Jessica Stockholder to the University of Chicago?

the ranking system seems as arbitrary as the MFA application process.

[helec2003]

never mind... their new website format is incredibly misleading. Here's an e-mail I received recently:

You are receiving this E-mail in regards to your U.S. News Graduate

School Compass subscription. On March 15, 2011, U.S. News will

publish the 2012 Best Graduate Schools rankings. Your subscription,

purchased last year to our Premium Online Edition, is set to expire

on April 8.

the sculpture list is the same 2008.

[LeeP]

these all seem really wrong.