Rankings of US Universities 2017-2018 by QS, THE, ARWU, US News

Rankings of US Universities- USA has always been the “Number One” study destination for international students and enjoys this position even today. The reason for this is that USA is home to several top universities in the world. All said and done, studying in US is an expensive affair and students would want to make the best use of their money by enrolling in a top ranking university. There are various ranking systems like QS World University Rankings, Times Higher Education Rankings (THE), ARWU Shanghai Academic Ranking of World Universities, US News Rankings, etc. Each ranking system has certain specific criteria on the basis of which universities are ranked. For purposes of comparison, we will consider QS Rankings, THE Rankings and US News Rankings for 2018. Let us look at the top 10 Universities in USA and their corresponding World Rankings. This will give a fair idea to students about the Rankings of US Universities for 2017-2018.

Rankings of US Universities 2018 by QS, Times Higher Education, ARWU, US News:

Having looked at the top US Universities and the World University Rankings USA, let us look at each of these universities in detail in terms of their academic reputation and rankings or overall rank and score.

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT): MIT is a comprehensive university with high focus on research. This university enjoys 1^st position in the QS rankings, 5^th position in the 2016 ARWU rankings and THE rankings and 2^nd position in the US News rankings.
2. Stanford University: Stanford University is one of the leading research universities and has a team of reputable and well-known faculty in USA. There is not much difference in the rankings for this university across the four ranking systems. This university ranks 2 in QS and ARWU rankings and 3 in THE Rankings and US News rankings.
3. Harvard University: Founded in 1636, Harvard University is one of the oldest higher education universities in USA. The University constantly strives to create an academic environment which inspires scholars and academicians across the world to do their best. This university enjoys 1^st position in ARWU and US News rankings, 3^rd position in QS rankings and 6^th position in THE rankings.
4. California Institute of Technology (Caltech): This university is a private institution which is research oriented. Caltech ranks 5 in the QS and US News rankings, 2 in THE Rankings and 8 in the ARWU rankings.
5. University of Chicago: This University was founded in 1890. One innovation implemented by the first president of the University, William Rainey Harper which was to allow students to graduate at any time of the year by running classes throughout the year. This university ranks 10 in QS, THE (tie position), ARWU rankings and 13 in US News rankings.
6. Princeton University: This University is the fourth-oldest university in USA. It has a similar rank across THE Rankings (7), ARWU (6) and US News (8) rankings. The scores have slightly dropped in the QS rankings where Princeton ranks 13 in this ranking system.
7. Yale University: Yale University was founded in 1701. Since then it has steadily expanded and continues to attract students from all over the world. This university has similar rankings across the four ranking systems – 11 in ARWU, 12 in THE, 14 in US News and 16 in QS rankings.
8. Cornell University: This University was founded in 1865 and was christened as the “First American University” by educational historian Frederick Rudolph. This university ranks 14 in QS and ARWU rankings, 19 in THE Rankings and 22 in US News rankings.
9. Johns Hopkins University: This University was founded in 1876 and is a private research university. This university ranks 17 in QS and THE Rankings, 11^th (a tie position) in US News rankings and 13 in ARWU rankings.
10. Columbia University: The University focuses on urban education and helps students become agents of change. The University ranks 16 in THE Rankings, but the rank drops down to 18 in the QS and ARWU rankings and further drops down to 22 in the US News rankings.

Having looked at the overall rank and scores of top universities in USA, let us look at the eligibility criteria for admission in US universities. Although there are some basic criteria for admission in US universities, each university has different specifications. Hence, be sure to read about the academic requirements of each institution carefully before applying to that institution. Some general requirements for admission in US universities are:

1. Proficiency in English: TOEFL and IELTS are the two tests that are used by almost all universities in USA to assess the English language level of a candidate. A candidate interested in applying for a Master’s program would be required to submit GRE scores or GMAT scores.
2. 16 years of education: Most Master’s programs in USA require candidates to have completed 16 years of education. In India, a student with a bachelor’s degree would usually have completed 15 years of education. In such cases, students usually complete their master’s degree in order to make up for the loss. However, there are a number of programs in the US which accept students with 15 years of education in case they have excellent GRE and TOEFL scores. Hence, it is advisable to check out the requirements of the university before applying.
3. Work experience: In most of the master’s programs in USA, importance is placed on research experience and internships. Hence, make sure to focus on these in your application. In addition to successful completion of an undergraduate degree, most universities prefer some research experience.

In addition, you would be required to show excellent academic records and submit a Statement of Purpose (SOP).