美国 《商业内幕》 网站评选出美国最优秀的前50所大学，他们评选的角度是如何帮助学生将来的事业成功。
考虑到这个帖子面向的读者是希望在美国大学读书的同学有深厚的英文基础，考虑到我的英文中文水平有限，因此没有做中文翻译。
大学排名为倒序，从第50名开始，到最后的排名第一。
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With tuition at record highs and fewer jobs than ever available for graduates, the value of college is being questioned like never before.
This makes Business Insider's third annual colleges list more relevant than ever.
Our list focuses on the one thing that matters: how much a college will help you have a successful career. A good college should (1) teach students to be independent thinkers who know how to express themselves; (2) grant an impressive degree; and (3) connect students to an influential alumni network.
We asked our readers -- a diverse group that represents your future peers, colleagues and recruiters -- to rate colleges based on these criteria.
Our readers say the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is the best school in the country. They responded with an overwhelming endorsement of the Ivy League and a few select universities -- MIT, Stanford, the California Institute of Technology and the University of Chicago.
We also asked readers to comment on the value of college these days: 80% said it was worth it.
This question generated hundreds of comments on both sides:
- "Unless you are one hell of an entrepreneur, you're getting nowhere in this country without a college degree. The piece of paper is absurdly overpriced (except maybe in state at University of Florida) but it is a necessary evil."
- "Absolutely [worth it]. As it currently stands, the present value of future benefits vastly outweighs the current costs of attending college."
- "At this point, I think it still is, but I don't know how much longer that will last. If you get a marketable degree in science, engineering, or tech it is still worth it. But for most of the others, the bachelor's at this point gives you a chance at landing a crappy job over the non-educated, rather than getting a good job like it used to. Whether that is worth it depends on how much debt you went into in the process."
- "As far as life experiences are concerned, those 4+ years are a very concentrated dose of trial, tribulation, self-reflection, and group and individual development. Not to mention a potentially life-changing education."
#50 Colgate University
Colgate University scored 2.21 out of 4.
Colgate dropped two spots from last year's ranking. The university is ranked #37 by Forbes and #21 for colleges by US News.
It has an admissions rate of 32%.
Comments: In an email, a reader said of Colgate: "name one college that graduates 100% of their Section I athletes. ;)"
#49 Pennsylvania State University — University Park
Pennsylvania State scored 2.21 out of 4.
Tie breaker: Pennsylvania State had 8.8% excellent ratings, while Colgate had 7.8% excellent ratings.
Penn State wasn't ranked in last year's ranking. The university is ranked #182 by Forbes and #5 for universities by US News.
It has an admissions rate of 51%.
Comments: "Penn State is more than a football school, according to the WSJ it is the number one school for recruiters."
"Penn state is the best. Rated number one for recruiting, huge alumni network who are extremely loyal, pride for school. People builder."
#48 Vassar College
Vassar College scored 2.23 out of 4.
Vassar fell four spots from last year's ranking. The college is ranked #24 by Forbes and #14 for colleges by US News.
It has an admissions rate of 25%.
Comments: "Vassar alums have a unique bond that attracts personally and professionally."
#47 Wesleyan University
Wesleyan scored 2.23 out of 4.
Tie breaker: Wesleyan had 7.6% excellent ratings, while UNC had 6.9% excellent ratings.
Wesleyan fell six spots from last year's ranking. The university is ranked #35 by Forbes and #12 for colleges by US News.
It has an admissions rate of 27%.
Comments: "Education opens an individual's horizons. The very best schools, such as Yale, Harvard, Princeton, Amherst and Wesleyan teach students how to learn, which is a life long gift. Education is an investment in oneself."
#46 Davidson College
Davidson College scored 2.24 out of 4.
Davidson wasn't ranked in last year's ranking. The college is ranked #61 by Forbes and #11 for colleges by US News.
It has an admissions rate of 26%.
#45 University of Illinois — Urbana-Champaign
University of Illinois scored 2.28 out of 4.
University of Illinois did not appear in last year's ranking. The university is ranked #147 by Forbes and #45 for universities by US News.
It has an admissions rate of 65%.
Comments: "The University of Illinois does not get the respect it deserves on most top University lists. It fields top programs in Engineering, Computer Science, Business, Psychology and many other majors. The quality of student I have encountered from the U of I is, in my opinion, unparalleled in the Big Ten (Northwestern and Michigan included)."
#44 Bowdoin College
Bowdoin College scored 2.33 out of 4.
Bowdoin jumped three spots from last year's ranking. The college is ranked #38 by Forbes and #6 for colleges by US News.
It has an admissions rate of 19%.
#43 University of Wisconsin — Madison
University of Wisconsin — Madison scored 2.36 out of 4.
University of Wisconsin — Madison jumped two spots from last year's ranking. The university is ranked #316 by Forbes and #42 for universities by US News.
It has an admissions rate of 59%.
Comment: "The excellent schools balance the academic, network and social aspect of education. In my opinion, the University of Wisconsin - Madison offers the best combination of any school listed."
#42 Wellesley College
Wellesley College scored 2.39 out of 4.
Wellesley fell seven spots from last year's ranking. The college is ranked #19 by Forbes and #6 for colleges by US News.
It has an admissions rate of 35%.
#41 College of William and Mary
The College of William and Mary scored 2.4 out of 4.
The College of William and Mary jumped two spots from last year's ranking. The college is ranked #49 by Forbes and #33 for universities by US News.
It has an admissions rate of 34%.
#40 University of Southern California
USC scored 2.4 out of 4.
Tie breaker: USC had 11.4% excellent ratings, while William and Mary had 8.6% excellent ratings.
The University of Southern California jumped nine spots from last year's ranking. The university is ranked #165 by Forbes and #23 for universities by US News.
It has an admissions rate of 24%.
Comments: "USC has by far the best business undergrad program in terms of classes, professors, skill set of the students, networking and job placement. Students graduate with much more polished skills than any of the UC schools (Berkeley, UCLA mostly, others don't really compare) and are more ready for the job force. In my experience interviewing kids from all the California area schools and a handful of other schools, no school has impressed me more than USC."
"Schools that have practical and real life majors such as the Entrepreneur program at usc may be worth the tuition."
#39 Middlebury College
Middlebury College scored 2.41 out of 4.
MIddlebury fell five spots from last year's ranking. The college is ranked #40 by Forbes and #5 for colleges by US News.
It has an admissions rate of 20%.
Comment: "It's a myth kids have to go to one of the top 10 to have a great college experience. Any of the top 50 colleges can provide a very good education for most students. Nonetheless, there are many reasons small liberal arts school like Middlebury rank so highly: excellent profs dedicated to teaching; small class sizes and discussion groups; strong sense of community; and increasing diversity."
#38 Washington University in St. Louis
WashU scored 2.43 out of 4.
Washington University in St. Louis fell five spots from last year's ranking. The university is ranked #113 by Forbes and #14 for universities by US News.
It has an admissions rate of 22%.
#37 Tufts University
Tufts University scored 2.48 out of 4.
Tufts University fell one spot from last year's ranking. The university is ranked #39 by Forbes and #29 for universities by US News.
It has an admissions rate of 27%.
Comments: "I think Tufts is a school which may not always be on many people's radar, but has a great undergraduate focus, as well as a healthy endowment to invest in its students which it handles smartly."
#36 Swarthmore College
Swarthmore College scored 2.49 out of 4.
Swarthmore fell eight spots from last year's ranking. The college is ranked #16 by Forbes and #3 for colleges for US News.
It has an admissions rate of 17%.
Comments: "All are good schools - but you need to ignore a lot of data not to find the engineering schools deliver more - the weed classes are brutal - but the survivors are smart and disciplined - critical thinking skills are mandatory and the degree is respected - all that's for life. MIT and Caltech are blue chip - and engineering programs at CMU, GaTech, lehigh and swarthmore turn out grads that have excellent quant skills and can speak and write. I love to see resumes from these programs."
"Swarthmore College has among the highest standards for its applicants and, by far, the highest expectations for student performance once admitted. In the work force, its grads are hard-working, thoughtful, analytical, able to see multiple sides of an issue and uniformly write well."
#35 Harvey Mudd College
Harvey Mudd College scored 2.51 out of 4.
Harvey Mudd jumped five spots from last year's ranking. The college is ranked #44 by Forbes and #18 for colleges by US News.
It has an admissions rate of 32%.
Comments: "Harvey Mudd College provides a challenging cross-curriculum education that challenges a student, pushes them to the limit, and doesn't reward them with grade inflation when they are done. What is does reward them with is the ability to master any challenge that comes their way, to collaborate with colleagues in a productive way, and innovate in ways no one thought possible. That is what Harvey Mudd does for its students."
"Through a cross-disciplinary core curriculum that spans the humanities as well as the technical fields; and by providing ample opportunity for like-minded students to engage in industry-sponsored, entrepreneurial, or cutting-edge research projects; Harvey Mudd College prepares graduates to solve problems in an ever-changing environment, and to understand the ramifications of their solutions."
"Harvey Mudd College is a great place to learn from intelligent, motivated educators while having access to research labs that rival large universities. And, you have a chance to learn enough of the humanities to be an asset to society with your acquired technical skills."
"I have many friends associated with many colleges as students, faculty, staff, alumni, and trustees. Never have I heard, from one institution, all these groups be so strongly aligned in the achievement of a worthy mission statement and strategic vision as I have with Harvey Mudd College. Their deep commitment to innovative and whole-person STEM education makes it an exceedingly successful and special place."
"Harvey Mudd College is the best college for scientists looking to be well-rounded and able to communicate their ideas clearly. The atmosphere is one of collaboration, whereas other colleges are more competitive, and that makes Mudd an encouraging, wonderful place to learn."
"Harvey Mudd College may be small, but it packs a punch."
#34 University of Texas — Austin
UT—Austin scored 2.53 out of 4.
University of Texas—Austin jumped four spots from last year's ranking. The university is ranked #185 by Forbes and #45 for universities by US News.
It has an admissions rate of 45%.
Comments: "As someone who attended the UT- Austin, I can say that I feel like I got an excellent education from quality professors, but for a fraction of the cost compared to what I would have spent at an ivy league school. UT is located in a vibrant, culturally aware city full of excellent job/internship opportunities and both the school and city welcome diversity. Combine a quality education with an excellent locale, cultural diversity, and students who both play hard and work hard and you have a school that truly gives you a bang for your buck."
"The University of Texas at Austin is far and away the best school in the Southern US. If UT-Austin were in the Northeast and students in the more populated areas were aware of the educational value compared to the annual cost, I believe that the University of Texas at Austin would be consistently ranked in the top ten."
"University of Texas provides good value in one of the best cities in America."
#33 Boston College
Boston College scored 2.56 out of 4.
Boston jumped six spots from last year's ranking. The college is ranked #26 by Forbes and #31 for universities by US News.
It has an admissions rate of 30%.
Comments: "Boston College produces intellectuals. You graduate with an education - not just a degree."
#32 Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgia Tech scored 2.57 out of 4.
Georgia Institute of Technology jumped 10 spots from last year's ranking. The university is ranked #97 by Forbes and #36 for universities by US News.
It has an admissions rate of 61%.
#31 Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University scored 2.59 out of 4.
Vanderbilt fell one spot from last year's ranking. The university is ranked #53 by Forbes and #17 for universities by US News.
It has an admissions rate of 20%.
#30 Emory University
Emory University scored 2.59 out of 4.
Tie breaker: Emory University had 14.7% excellent ratings, while Vanderbilt had 13.6% excellent ratings.
Emory jumped two spots from last year's ranking. The university is ranked #45 by Forbes and #20 for universities by US News.
It has an admissions rate of 27%.
29 University of California — Los Angeles
UCLA scored 2.64 out of 4.
University of California — Los Angeles jumped two spots from last year's ranking. The university is ranked #55 by Forbes and #25 for universities by US News.
It has an admissions rate of 23%.
Comments: "As a USC Trojan undergrad, I've also been surprised by the quality and response of the UCLA Anderson alumni -- this is huge coming from an undergrad program that touts its Trojan network. I'm a second year grad student at UCLA Anderson School of Management's FEMBA program (Fully-Employed MBA) and started a company with two fellow Anderson students a few months ago. We're now a team of 8 and revenue positive pre-launch.
The UCLA community is thriving with entrepreneurial activity and well-connected professors who make the grad experience one that is both remarkable and useful. I love that I can go to school and apply what I learn to my business as well as to my full-time gig, Strategy Manager of North America at a global entertainment company. My final take: colleges are only as useful as its networks and coming from schools that have strong ties both locally and abroad has helped me every small step of the way.
#28 University of North Carolina — Chapel Hill
UNC—Chapel Hill scored 2.66 out of 4.
University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill fell one spot from last year's ranking. The university is ranked #74 by Forbes and #29 for universities by US News.
It has an admissions rate of 34%.
#27 University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame scored 2.69 out of 4.
Notre Dame fell one spot from last year's ranking. The university is ranked #18 by Forbes and #19 for universities by US News.
It has an admissions rate of 29%.
Comments: "The Notre Dame alumni network is amazing. I still feel very connected to the University and to many alums. I'm really hoping my kids get in so they can benefit from the great national and internation Notre Dame network."
#26 Williams College
Williams College scored 2.71 out of 4.
Williams College fell five spots from last year's rating. The college is ranked #1 by Forbes and #1 for colleges by US News.
It has an admissions rate of 20%.
Comments: "Liberal arts colleges like Davidson College or Williams College provide the best value - although they are best when combined with a specialized masters afterwards"
#25 Rice University
Rice University scored 2.72 out of 4.
Rice jumped four spots from last year's ranking. The university is ranked #28 by Forbes and #17 for universities by US News.
It has an admissions rate of 22%.
Comments: "Rice has been consistently undervalued for years."
#24 New York University
NYU scored 2.73 out of 4.
New York University jumped one spot from last year's ranking. The university is ranked #200 by Forbes and #33 for universities by US News.
It has an admissions rate of 38%.
Comments: "NYU is superior because it cuts out the idiocy. No football games, frats are marginalized, quant is quite good but there is still an emphasis on personal style and vision."
#23 University of Michigan — Ann Arbor
Image: Courtesy Ellis Hamburger
University of Michigan—Ann Arbor scored 2.81 out of 4.
University of Michigan—Ann Arbor jumped one spot from last year's ranking. The university is ranked #93 by Forbes and #28 for universities by US News.
It has an admissions rate of 50%.
Comments: "Generally, a first rate student from UMichigan is equivalent to an ivy first rater, but the networking factor is not as good."
#22 Amherst College
Amherst College scored 2.81 out of 4.
Tie breaker: Amherst had 27.4% excellent ratings, while University of Michigan—Ann Arbor had 21.4% excellent ratings.
Amherst jumped one spot from last year's ranking. The college is ranked #4 by Forbes and #2 for colleges by US News.
It has an admissions rate of 16%.
#21 University of Virginia
UVA scored 2.82 out of 4.
University of Virginia jumped one spot from last year's ranking. The university is ranked #46 by Forbes and #25 for universities by US News.
It has an admissions rate of 32%.
Comments: "Virginia offers many excellent opportunities to work with other students and become a leader. The interaction with the faculty is amazing, and their networks a wonderful asset when looking for jobs.The alumni network permeates every industry and is growing globally."
#20 Georgetown University
Georgetown scored 2.95 out of 4.
Georgetown stayed in the same spot from last year's ranking. The university is ranked #47 by Forbes and #22 for universities by US News.
It has an admissions rate of 19%.
#19 Northwestern University
Northwestern scored 2.99 out of 4.
Northwestern fell one spot from last year's ranking. The university is ranked #11 by Forbes and #12 for universities by US News.
It has an admissions rate of 26%.
#18 United States Military Academy
Army rated 3.07 scored of 4.
The United States Military Academy jumped one spot from last year's ranking. The academy is ranked #3 by Forbes and #14 for colleges by US News.
It has an admissions rate of 14%.
Comments: "I think the Millitary Academies are the best schools, in the above list. Everything it takes to get into them, is also what makes great Financial Traders good. Competitive, Type A+, Hard Working, willing to do things you don't necessarily enjoy, learning how to work on a team, etc."
#17 Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon scored 3.11 out of 4.
Carnegie Mellon fell one spot from last year's ranking. The university is ranked #98 by Forbes and #23 for universities by US News. It has an admissions rate of 36%.
Comments: "Carnegie Mellon is extremely under-rated because most people see it as either a geek school or a small regional niche school. However, when companies like Microsoft or Google look to open R&D centers, they come to CMU first. The challenge is student life is so miserable, it usually gets very low ratings in most polls."
"Carnegie Mellon is a secret killer. Easier to get into than MIT and Stanford, but produces just as high caliber students. Wait ~10 years for the alumns to start changing the world."
#16 United States Naval Academy
Navy scored 3.11 out of 4.
Tie breaker: United States Naval Academy had 43.2% excellent ratings, while Carnegie Mellon University had 36.7% excellent ratings.
United States Naval Academy jumped one spot from last year's ranking. The academy is ranked #17 by Forbes and #14 for Colleges by US News.
It has an admissions rate of 10%.
Comment: "Any of the service academies are excellent choices. Yes, as an alum I'm biased. However, you learn life skills in these 4 years far beyond any that your peers do partying it up at State U. The network, comraderie, and education are all top notch. The respect these schools are given, and by extension you're granted, will open doors for you later in life."
#15 Brown University
Brown scored 3.13 out of 4.
Brown fell two spots from last year's ranking. The university is ranked #21 by Forbes and #15 for universities by US News.
It has an admissions rate of 11%.
#14 University of California — Berkeley
UC Berkeley scored 3.15 out 4.
UC — Berkeley fell two spots from last year's ranking. The university is ranked #70 by Forbes and #21 for universities by US News.
It has an admissions rate of 21%.
#13 Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins scored 3.16 out of 4.
Johns Hopkins jumped one spot from last year's ranking. The university is ranked #101 by Forbes and #13 for universities by US News.
It has an admissions rate of 28%.
Comment: "A great educaton comes from what you put into it, not where you go. This is especially true at expensive schools like Johns Hopkins. It you work hard, stretch your mind and be engaged, the cost is more than worth it. But if you phone it it, you are better off joining the army."
#12 Duke University
Duke University scored 3.16 out of 4.
Duke jumped three spots from last year's ranking. The university is ranked #22 by Forbes and #10 for universities by US News.
It has an admissions rate of 22%.
#11 University of Chicago
University of Chicago scored 3.16 out of 4.
Tie breaker: University of Chicago had 43.7% excellent ratings, while Duke University had 41.6% excellent ratings and Johns Hopkins University had 40.3% excellent ratings.
Chicago held the same spot from last year's rankings. The university is ranked #8 by Forbes and #5 for universities by US News.
It has an admissions rate of 27%.
Comments: "Chicago is really the only school that teaches the full spectrum of intellectual processes with full academic integrity. It does not prostitute it's academic curriculum to satisfy political agendas."
"I've hired hundreds of people over my career. I no longer hire people from unserious universities where kids can and do graduate being ignorant and sloppy thinkers. The remaining serious universities include University of Chicago, MIT, Caltech and Carnegie-Mellon."
"I think schools with real academic rigor will benefit students more in general then fluffy pampering, i would put University of Chicago, Cal Tech, MIT and others in this category where as very good schools like Duke, Brown etc help students only as a signal to people that the students are smart (which they where when they entered) more then the learned at lot while there."
#10 Cornell University
Cornell University scored 3.28 out of 4.
Cornell held the same spot from last year's ranking. The university is ranked #51 by Forbes and #15 for universities by US News.
It has an admissions rate of 19%.
#9 University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania scored 3.29 out of 4.
University of Pennsylvania held the same spot from last year's ranking. The university is ranked #52 by Forbes and #5 for universities by US News.
It has an admissions rate of 18%.
Comments: "Penn: strong growth in application numbers, definitely on par with Harvard, Yale, and Princeton"
"PENN is the hidden gem of the Ivy League - imbued with the tradition of excellence commonly attributed to all Ivys, but eschewing the popularity contest in which the other top schools choose to participate."
#8 Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College scored 3.35 out of 4.
Dartmouth held the same spot from last year's ranking. The college is ranked #30 by Forbes and #11 for universities by US News.
It has an admissions rate of 13%.
Comments: "Dartmouth helped me with a very strong alumni network and strong, broad liberal arts program taught me how to anticipate and capitalize on a changing world."
#7 Columbia University
Columbia University scored 3.39 out of 4.
Columbia held the same spot from last year's ranking. The university is ranked #42 by Forbes and #4 for universities by US News.
It has an admissions rate of 11%.
Comments: "Columbia is truely the place to be when it comes to business schools. Every person I've hired from there has been experienced, professional, and competent to an extent I have not seen from any other American university."
"Schools like Harvard, Yale, and Columbia are valuable to attend for their incredibly powerful alumni networks alone. Knowing the right people will be more helpful in getting a job than any other factor."
"I'm a graduate alum of Columbia University and it definitely opened doors for me, specifically in New York City. Outside of NYC and DC, the clout wasn't the same as possibly a Harvard or Yale degree."
#6 California Institute of Technology
CalTech scored 3.52 out of 4.
CalTech held the same spot from last year's ranking. The university is ranked #13 by Forbes and #5 for universities by US News.
It has an admissions rate of 15%.
#5 Yale University
Yale University scored 3.57 out of 4.
Yale fell one spot from last year's ranking. The university is ranked #14 by Forbes and #3 for universities by US News.
It has an admissions rate of 9%.
Comments: "Harvard, Yale, and Princeton are by far the best. Everything else is small potatoes in comparison."
"While I look for any degree there is a certain amount of respect in an organization filled with Harvard, MIT, and Yale grads that requires more work when staffed with others."
#4 Princeton University
Princeton University scored 3.6 out of 4.
Princeton jumped one spot from last year's ranking. The university is ranked #2 by Forbes and #1 for universities by US News.
It has an admissions rate of 10%.
Comments: "I have been very impressed with undergrads from Penn, Dartmouth, Princeton and Michigan. The kids are able to come in and start working from day one. Many other undergrads from prestigious schools come in and they either do not have it up there or seem to not want to work."
"Education opens an individual's horizons. The very best schools, such as Yale, Harvard, Princeton, Amherst and Wesleyan teach students how to learn, which is a life long gift. Education is an investment in oneself. My own Sarah Lawrence education imbued me with the sense that I could do anything to which I put my mind--this has been the key to my success!"
#3 Harvard University
Harvard University scored 3.65 out of 4.
Harvard held the same spot from last year's ranking. The university is ranked #6 by Forbes and #1 for universities by US News.
It has an admissions rate of 7%.
Comments: "Harvard has produced a higher rate for electing the Presidential Officials in the United States. The university is well respected in most communities and deemed to provide higher levels of education and productive individuals in society."
"I have found that a major contributor to future success is tightly correlated to those schools with strong alumni networks. This doesn't just mean successful alumni, but successful alumni who are actively involved with current students. Harvard is probably by far the leader in this area."
"Harvard is the best. Yale, Princeton, Stanford, MIT and CalTech are the second. Beyond that you're fighting to be one of the best average people..."
#2 Stanford University
Stanford University scored 3.68 out of 4.
Stanford held the same spot from last year's ranking. The university is ranked #5 by Forbes and #5 for universities by US News.
It has an admissions rate of 8%.
Comments: "The Ivy League, Stanford, and a few big state schools still have huge brand value. If Harvard allowed its tuition rates to float with supply and demand, it would probably cost $250,000 a year to go there."
"For entrepreneurial tech, you simply can't beat Stanford."
#1 Massachusetts Institute of Technology
MIT scored 3.72 out of 4.
MIT held the same spot from last year's ranking. The university is ranked #9 internationally by Forbes and #5 for universities by US News.
It has an admissions rate of 9.7%.
Comments: "MIT is the best... MIT grads are the best out of the gate IMO."
"While I look for any degree there is a certain amount of respect in an organization filled with Harvard, MIT, and Yale grads that requires more work when staffed with others."
"Harvard and MIT make the strongest foundation for Boston's thriving tech scene. There's no better place to be surrounded by the brightest peers and leaders in technology."
"At MIT your colleagues and peers will challenge you to think about the quantitative with a sense of psychedelic wonder, and your professors will push you to integrate art and beauty into code and prototype. Then they'll fund you when you launch your first company"
