Forbes names West Point #1 American college!

Very impressive. I have been browsing the threads last few days as my son is considering applying for a ROTC scholarship and it is my perception that most here prefer the Naval Academy or Air Force Academy? Is there a reason? I have always thought West Point had a bit more prestige, maybe just because its been around for so long.
Kudos to them for making #1
 
Very impressive. I have been browsing the threads last few days as my son is considering applying for a ROTC scholarship and it is my perception that most here prefer the Naval Academy or Air Force Academy? Is there a reason? I have always thought West Point had a bit more prestige, maybe just because its been around for so long.
Kudos to them for making #1

Not sure how factual my opinion is, but here goes: West Point parents/alumni have many other sources for information other than this forum. Those seeking WP info can join prospect-net. Not sure if other academies have these sites like we do. In addition to prospect-net, we have plebe-net, parent-net, and a few others for alumni, etc.

I believe all the academies are prestigious; your choice should be dictated by what you want to do in the service. West Point has been an excellent choice for our son. Good luck to yours as he decides his path.
 
When it comes down to it, rankings don't matter. Our applicants should NOT be applying to the school just because it is prestigious...they won't make it through if they do. They should be applying because they want to become officers in the best army in the world--The United States Army.
 
Grr...you ruined my streak of having commented last on the main page of every tab thingy lol:rocket:
 
But for the record, read the following just so every knows how Forbes decides its rankings:

Our college rankings are based on five criteria: graduation rate (how good a college is at helping its students finish on time); the number of national and global awards won by students and faculty; students' satisfaction with their instructors; average debt upon graduation; and postgraduate vocational success

I just knew that "sports teams success" was not one of them. :shake:
 
I just knew that "sports teams success" was not one of them. :shake:
That would be the case only if you defined "sprts teams success" by football.
West Point, indeed, has many very successful sports teams; both mens' and womens' teams on the Division I level as well as Competitive Club teams. :thumb: :biggrin:
 
Way to go West Point!:thumb:

Our Yuk saw this on the news yesterday and ran out to find a Forbes magazine so he can rub it in the faces of his Air Force and Navy academy buddies while they are all home on summer leave
 
Bustin' with pride here. :biggrin: We feel so blessed and grateful that our son is attending such an outstanding institution. Congratulations West Point !! :tank1:
 
West Point vs. Ivies

As a former manager I would move every service academy job candidate to the top of the pile and go into heavy recruitment mode. Honestly, what company or organization would not want these people working for them? The idea that the school is too insular is a non-starter for me. Cadets go to class with people from every state, race, creed, socioeconomic background. They travel more in four years than any other college students around. Good for Forbes to recognize this, but I have to believe the Navy ranking is far too low.
 

Yeah, right down there with your football team! :biggrin:

All joking aside, congrats to West Point! Way to go! Forbes only could have picked one other school, but apparently $1,000 for tuition was too much for them. :frown:

If I were the USNA Sup right now, I'd have the Commandant and the Dean standing tall before my desk and asking them what the HELL happened! :mad:
 
I just knew that "sports teams success" was not one of them. :shake:

Point already made, but "sports teams" encompass more than football! As the dad of a cadet who as a plebe made both the league finals for his Corp sport and the League Academic Honor Roll, I can't let this pass!

Let's see, for the 2008-09 year:
baseball: best ever finish
http://www.sportswriters.net/ncbwa/poll/index.html?SPSID=48129&SPID=4603&DB_OEM_ID=11100
http://www.patriotleague.org/sports/m-basebl/patr-m-basebl-body.html
Men's cross country ties with Navy in League Championship:
http://www.patriotleague.org/sports/c-xc/stats/110108aac.html
Women's soccer second in league:
http://www.patriotleague.org/sports/w-soccer/patr-w-soccer-body.html
Women's diving: Junior Lindsay Adao, 2009 Patriot League Female Diver of the League Championship Meet
Rifle, small bore: 5th in NCAA
http://www.goarmysports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=48091&SPID=4592&DB_OEM_ID=11100&ATCLID=3692367
Air rifle: 6th place NCAA finish
http://www.goarmysports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=48091&SPID=4592&DB_OEM_ID=11100&ATCLID=3692814
Men's tennis: League runner-up (yeah, to Navy....)
http://www.goarmysports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=48101&SPID=4594&DB_OEM_ID=11100&ATCLID=3723829
Women's tennis: Patriot League Champions
http://www.goarmysports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=48134&SPID=4604&DB_OEM_ID=11100&ATCLID=3728555
Men's Track: Indoor and Outdoor Patriot League Champions

Then, you have club sports:
2008-09 Highlights
http://www.westpoint.edu/uscc/dca/clubs/sportshighlights.htm
Boxing 2009 - National Championship
Combat Weapons 2008 - National Champions (Inter-service)
Crew - Women 2009 - National Champions
Crew - Men 2009 - National Champions (Novice)
Cycling 2008 - Cycling Track Champions - 2009 3rd Place Div II Track Nationals
Equestrian 2008 - First Place in Regions for Western Fencing
2008 - Men Placed 4th at Nationals
Judo 2009 - National Champions
Lacrosse - Women 2008 - 2nd in Conference Championship/Competed at Nationals
Marathon 2008 - Won Military Academy Category 10 Miler
Martial Arts 2008 - 5th in League
Mountaineering 2009 - Fourth Place at Nationals (their first National Tournament)
Orienteering 2009 - Collegiate National Champions (7 years in a row)
Pistol 2009 - National Champions
Power Lifting 2008 - Men - 3rd at Nationals
Rabble Rousers 2008 - 2nd at Nationals
Rugby - Men 2008 - Northeastern Conference Champions
Rugby - Women 2008 - Northeastern Conference Champions
Sailing Reggata 2008 - Two back to back regatta victories
Ski Alpine 2008 - 6th in Adirondack Division
Ski Nordic 2008 - Men - 4th Nationals
Team Handball - Men 2009 - National Champions
Triathlon 2009 - National Champions
Volleyball - Men 2008 - 2nd in Patriot League
Water Polo 2008 - 2nd at States

...and then there's the annual Sandhurst competition, where company E4's team (Elvis Lives!) came in 2nd overall:
http://www.westpointaog.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=3427

I believe that's 9 national championships and 3 regional / conference championships... No "sports team success" here, right? :rolleyes: :biggrin:

Yeah, right down there with your football team! :biggrin:

All joking aside, congrats to West Point! Way to go! Forbes only could have picked one other school, but apparently $1,000 for tuition was too much for them. :frown:

If I were the USNA Sup right now, I'd have the Commandant and the Dean standing tall before my desk and asking them what the HELL happened! :mad:

Yeah, Zaphod, I'd really like to see how they compiled the numbers. Given the emphasis on low cost, the service academies should come out well, but USCGA and USMMA's low rankings are puzzling. Of course, they're probably not going to release how they specifically compile the results, because that would be giving away the value of their rankings... It's fun to talk about, tho - especially if you're #1!
 
I hate these surveys. I am a cadet currently attending USMA and I can tell you right now that you can't make college decisions based upon college rankings. Tons of schools throughout the nation, including the top ones refuse to even participate in these surveys because they make students apply to certain schools in a robot like fashion. They apply to certain schools without taking into consideration their majors and career choices. Also, this is FORBES. Why make judgments based upon their surveys? There are clearly disagreements between FORBES and other college ranking surveys, including more famous ones like Americas News and World Report. They rank USMA as No. 13 for Liberal Arts Colleges, not even competing in the National Universities list that include well known schools like MIT and UC Berkeley.

FORBES is useless just like every other garbage college ranking survey. DON'T MAKE YOUR DECISIONS BASED UPON THEIR OPINION. Take into consideration everything except that.
 
Morningdark, consider changing your name to "Darkcloud." Boo hiss for raining on our parade! Everyone knows the different surveys really mean very little in the long run...but in the mean time, let us gloat and enjoy this!!
 
Yes. I can be a darkcloud sometimes. I am against college rankings because I have seen way too many high school students applying to colleges based purely upon these somewhat biased and subjective methods of ranking. I couldn't believe it. One student at my school applied to Hamilton University purely because it was ranked high. He wanted to be a Civil Engineering major and Hamilton is purely a school famous for creative writing. Clearly, his choice should have been Virginia Tech since it is has one of the nation's top engineering programs.

Also, I am a huge anti ring knocker. My loyalties are to the Army and the soldiers within it, not to my school/alma mater. My classmates tend to say that I take ownership of the Army, and I really do. This makes me a good source for unbiased information. This is also what honestly separates folks attending military schools. I noticed that the sons and daughters of career military personnel seem to take ownership of the Army, while first generation military folks are still in a learning process when it comes to this. They are not at the stage where they take ownership of the Army. They instead take ownership of West Point and the cadets within it.
 
Hey 2012Dad,
Did you miss the #51 Ranking in Ice Hockey? :shake:
Sorry, I just could not resist!

The success of Army in scholastics and sports is inspiring!
 
Hey 2012Dad,
Did you miss the #51 Ranking in Ice Hockey? :shake:
Sorry, I just could not resist!

The success of Army in scholastics and sports is inspiring!

uhhh....what's hockey? that's not a real sport, is it? (....says the guy who grew up in rural Alabama and didn't see an ice skating rink until he was an adult!)

:wink:
 
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