Should I take rankings into account?

[tingtongtay]

So I am trying to decide between three programs: UCSB, University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign, and University of Minnesota. UCSB is ranked the highest (number one) and University of Minnesota is a bit lower, UIUC is right behind UCSB. For my visit I enjoyed UMN the most, but I can not get over that it is not highly as regarded, but does that matter? Should I worry about the rankings at all? Also how and when in the world did UCSB become such a highly regarded science and engineering school?

 

 

[GeoDUDE!]

So I am trying to decide between three programs: UCSB, University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign, and University of Minnesota. UCSB is ranked the highest (number one) and University of Minnesota is a bit lower, UIUC is right behind UCSB. For my visit I enjoyed UMN the most, but I can not get over that it is not highly as regarded, but does that matter? Should I worry about the rankings at all? Also how and when in the world did UCSB become such a highly regarded science and engineering school?

 

 

All the UC schools are very good in science and engineering (some more so than others).  All things considered, all equal, you should take rankings into consideration. The most important thing to do is go where you think you can 1) graduate and 2) do the best work.  If you liked UMN the best go there. Rankings matter somewhat for academia, less so for industry, so take that in consideration. I really doubt that going to UMN would stop you from getting a TT over UCSB on ranking alone. There might be some advantages to both departments; hopefully you visited them to figure them out.

 

 

Good luck!

[ss2player]

UMN is a fantastic school, plenty of name recognition! (I also interviewed there) I agree that you should go with the best fit and where you'd be happiest. Rankings matter little if you're regretting your choice and miserable in your program.

[bsharpe269]

All of those schools are well regarded and I think that coming from any of them, you will be in a great place for postdocs/jobs. When you come from schools as good as all of those, publications and performance matter most. I better reseracher from UMN will get the job over an average research from UCSB any day.

 

Go where you think you will do with the best work and work with the best advisors! I would say that ranking mattered if you were comparing Harvard to U of nowhere but all of the schools you mentioned are great.