Last week, the Wall Street Journal ranked the University of Connecticut within the top 50 colleges across the nation. Out of every public and private university, UConn took the 46th spot.
Since 2016, the WSJ has published an annual list of the top colleges in the U.S. Last year, UConn ranked 103rd.
This year’s WSJ criteria ranked colleges based on their influence in student lives and wellbeing, a UConn today article explained.
UConn’s current ranking, out of 400 other colleges, puts the university above Berkley, Brown, UCLA and more as highlighted in a TikTok video published by UConn mathematics professor Álvaro Lozano-Robledo in response to his surprise regarding the rankings.
“This Wall Street Journal ranking is wacky,” Lozano-Robledo said in the TikTok video he published. “The colleges at the top are ones that you would expect, but as you go down the list, things start to get strange.”
Several colleges with prestigious affiliations ranked a dozen or more spots behind UConn.
“Initially, I was surprised because the rankings, not just of UConn, but other schools as well, do not match my preconceived ranking of some of these colleges and universities,” Lozano-Robledo said.
And while Lozano-Robledo expressed his pleasure to work at UConn and the pride that comes with this year’s ranking, he did note the reality of his perception of rankings.
“I think all rankings are artificial in some way or another and all of them are flawed in one way or another. And yet, I do have some vague idea of how schools are ranked and the WSJ ranking clashed with my thoughts,” Lozano-Robledo said.
Some of the categories that UConn ranked highly in were affordability, amount of years it takes for students to earn their degree and the value and salary which a UConn degree provides, UConn spokesperson Stephanie Reitz said.
“These are all tangible factors that benefit UConn students and their families not only while they are here, but also well into the future,” Reitz said.
Since beginning his teaching career in 2008 at UConn, Lozano-Robledo explained that while a ranking is subjective, his experience here has been positive and that he believes students get a well rounded education come graduation.
“We are providing an excellent education at UConn that is very much worth the tuition that students pay for their education, and that’s what matters,” Lozano-Robledo said.