Rank the Following Statistics PhD Programs

[TrynnaDoStat]

I know this is incredibly vague but, using whatever criteria you would use for picking between these schools, please rank the following mathematical statistics PhD programs:

• UNC - Chapel Hill
  
• NC State
  
• Michigan - Ann Arbor
  
• Wisconsin - Madison
  
• Florida
  

Edited July 16, 2012 by TrynnaDoStat

[cyberwulf]

IMHO:

1. NCSU

2a. UWisc

2b. UMich

3a. Florida

3b. UNC

[gtg387y]

Average ranking (US News and World Report, National Research Council)

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor - 10

University of Wisconsin, Madison - 10.5

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill - 14

North Carolina State - 14

University of Florida - 20

I should state that I would personally tend to rank UNC higher, as it has traditionally been a research university professor factory. Much moreso than NCSU or Florida. I'd like to know cyberwulf's reasoning behind his selections.

[gtg387y]

My calculations were a little off. Revised average rankings:

University of Wisconsin, Madison - 9

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor - 9.5

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill - 12.5

North Carolina State - 14

University of Florida - 19

Doesn't change anything, but it bothered me.

[cyberwulf]

I should state that I would personally tend to rank UNC higher, as it has traditionally been a research university professor factory. Much moreso than NCSU or Florida. I'd like to know cyberwulf's reasoning behind his selections.

UNC was certainly an elite department in the past, but I think it's been surpassed by more recent upstarts. The biggest limitation of the NRC/US News rankings is that they tend to reflect popular perception, which can lag actual quality by a decade or so. I think UNC is benefiting from this long horizon, whereas NCSU and UF don't quite get enough credit for their recent accomplishments.