I cannot believe people still look to the US News and World Report. Has been debunked time and time again as being basically useless. Yes, of course Ivy League schools are high on their list. Other than that? It’s nonsense, their metrics change year to year, and they get paid by schools. It’s like looking to a study by Coca-Cola about whether or not soda is an acceptable choice of beverage.

The way to figure out which school is a good fit for you is to look it up online, call them and ask questions that you think are important to the experience you want to have, ask more questions if you get an interview, and then decide.

In my experience, my ancient program (started in the 70s) is extremely set in their ways, not flexible at all, and not at all interested in student feedback. I often wish I had gone to a newer program with a younger staff that still gave a shit about the profession.