NewsJuly 28, 2012 at 4:52 pm

Penn Ranked #16 University in the World

Say what you will about lists– arbitrariness, bias and accuracy issues aside, they are the internet’s preferred vehicle for conveying information. So we guess we should care when The World University Rankings  declare Penn to be the 16th best university in the world.

16, eh? Maybe dad will stop being such a prick and buy us our own car now. But really,we’re behind every other Ivy except Cornell (20), Brown (49) and Dartmouth (90)? And we’re one-upped by a technical institute in Zurich, where they presumably spend all day stuffing cheese and chocolate into their pocket watches. These shenanigans have happened before, and will happen again, so don’t fuss about it. Celebrate! You only have a Sweet 16 once.

17 People have left comments on this post


By justtoclearthingsup on July 28, 2012 at 4:52 pm By Cornell? on July 28, 2012 at 4:52 pm

“But really,we’re behind every other Ivy except Brown (49) and Dartmouth (90)”

You’re forgetting about Cornell (20).

By What? on July 28, 2012 at 4:52 pm

We’re behind UCLA?? There is something clearly wrong with this list.

By Sum Yun Gai on July 28, 2012 at 4:52 pm

we beat cornell too. i would’ve been really disappointed if we didn’t

By small mistake on July 28, 2012 at 4:52 pm

You mention that we’re ranked behind every other ivy except Brown and Dartmouth but Cornell was ranked 20th. So this year we were actually ranked behind every other Ivy except *cornell*, brown, and dartmouth.

By CS Five on July 28, 2012 at 4:52 pm

Cornell is #20, if that counts.

By Cornell on July 28, 2012 at 4:52 pm

Cornell is an Ivy too. So we beat three.

By dammit on July 28, 2012 at 4:52 pm

I can understand being behind UChicago and Caltech, but UCLA, UCBerkeley AND JHU? Fuck this list.

By westerley on July 28, 2012 at 4:52 pm

Relax! Penn is ranked ninth in both the QS Survey and USNews rankings of world universities; ahead of all Ivies except Harvard and Yale.

By C'15 on July 28, 2012 at 4:52 pm

The top five ivies (Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Columbia, Penn) are in the same order in these world rankings as they are in the US News rankings that most people care the most about. So really this list isn’t particularly different or earth-shaking.

By Harvard on July 28, 2012 at 4:52 pm

16th? Losers!

By Penn on July 28, 2012 at 4:52 pm

@Harvard. why are you reading underthebutton? haha

By Listmania on July 28, 2012 at 4:52 pm

@C’15: You’re right that the ranking of the top five Ivies is the same between this list and that of US News: Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Columbia, Penn. But the US News list has HPYC as the top four and Penn tied for fifth. The World University Ranking has us spread out among many other schools. US News feels better.

Indeed, the World University Rankings disses all the Ivies by having the number one slot go to Cal Tech. Say what you will about US News, they are smart enough to realize that if you want to publish an American college ranking which “most people care about the most,” you’ve got to have the top spot go to either Harvard or Princeton. Any other result may be accurate along some set of criteria, but will rapidly lose relevance in the popular culture.

By Tina on July 28, 2012 at 4:52 pm

That “technical institute in Zurich” is a top engineering and science school – they call engineering schools technical institutes there. Please do your homework before insulting other institutions, it makes Penn look bad.

By Guillaume on July 28, 2012 at 4:52 pm

Thanks Tina, you’re absolutely right. The ETH Zurich, in fact a polytechnic institute, is one of the best schools in Europe. Guess who studied and lectured there? Einstein… It has more than 20 Nobel laureates. So, indeed, please do your homework before insulting Swiss culture (“where they presumably spend all day stuffing cheese and chocolate into their pocket watches”… That is too cliché for an Ivy leaguer to write…).

By Phil on July 28, 2012 at 4:52 pm

Behind UCLA?! This ranking is horse crap. US News is the only respectable rankings.

By PN on July 28, 2012 at 4:52 pm

Ha, ha, ha! —- Penn State over Dartmouth! UC San Diego over Brown! This rocks!

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