US News and World Report College Rankings 2011, some happy, others disappointed

US News and World Report College Rankings 2011, some happy, others disappointed. U.S. News & World Report’s most influential American colleges ranks Harvard top

The U.S. News & World Report magazine’s ranking of most influential American colleges and universities has been published. The ranking offers top place for Harvard University. On second spot it is Princeton University.

It is for the second consecutive year Harvard university ranks top of the U.S. News & World Report ranking. Last year, Harvard shared the position with Princeton.

Yale University has been placed third in the ranking. Columbia University follows in the fourth place. Meanwhile Stanford University and Penn shared the fifth ranking.

U.S. News & World Report annually makes the list of Best Colleges examining 1,400 accredited four-year schools. The test to find best schools is made based on 16 factors. SAT scores, graduation and retention rates, selectivity, alumni giving and peer reputation are major factors considered for ranking the most influential schools of America.

Ranking of other prominent colleges are, the University of Chicago - No. 9, Northwestern University - No. 12, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign - 47, the Illinois Institute of Technology - No. 111, Loyola University Chicago - No. 117; DePaul University - No. 136; the University of Illinois at Chicago - No. 143; Illinois State University No - 156; and Southern Illinois University-Carbondale No -183.

Meanwhile, U.S. News & World Report ranked Williams College in Massachusetts as the nation’s top national liberal arts school. Other major universities Wheaton College is at No. 55, Illinois Wesleyan University - No. 62 and Lake Forest College - No. 105 in that ranking.