University named 'Hottest Big State School' but ranked at bottom of Big Ten

The rankings have arrived, and IU has taken the news with a grain of salt.\nWhile Newsweek listed IU on its list of America's Hottest Colleges, calling it the Hottest Big State School, the University slipped three spots in US News & World Report's ranking of the top 100 schools to No. 74, tying with Michigan State and Minnesota as the lowest ranking schools in the Big 10. \n"Obviously (Newsweek) is an attractive ranking," said Dean of Students Richard McKaig. "But we have to take all rankings with a grain of salt."\nMcKaig said US News & World Report's ranking did not come as a surprise and that IU tends to stay in the same range throughout the years.\n"I think everyone would be happier if we went up three spots rather than down," he said. "But I'm not worried about it."\nIU is known for getting a lot out of limited resources, McKaig said, and the numbers used to rank the schools don't always factor that in.\nWhile US News & World Report's Web site says its rankings are primarily objective with 75 percent of the overall score coming from a formula that uses numeric measures such as graduation rates, Newsweek admits its list is "inherently subjective," a fact that doesn't faze McKaig.\n"It certainly brings the name to students outside the state," he said, "which is always a good thing."\nAnother positive rating for IU is the Kelley School of Business' 11th place overall ranking for business schools by US News & World Report, with top 10 rankings in specific programs such as accounting, marketing and finance.\n"I think you have to take it with a grain of salt," said finance professor Robert Jennings. "Of course a low number is better than a high, but I don't believe in a specific number."\nThe finance program was ranked seventh.\n"I'm kind of a legacy here," said freshman Mike Skopelja, who has older sisters who attended IU. "But I chose IU because they have such a big business program."\nJennings said he thinks the business school is consistently in the top 20 because it is one of the few schools that pays attention to both graduate and undergraduate programs, and that business students have a number of good jobs waiting for them when they graduate. And, of course, there's the breadth of offerings available for students.\nThe large number of opportunities for students is one of the reasons Newsweek listed IU as its Hottest Big State School, citing the University's 328 degree programs and 130 majors. It also specifically mentioned IU's embracement of wireless technology with its first place ranking from Intel for wireless connectivity.\n"I think the real key here is our strategic plan that has been implemented over the last seven years," said Sue Workman, director of user support at University Information Technology Services. "We anticipate the trends."\nWorkman said she thinks areas such as the Information Commons at the Herman B Wells Library and the fact that 90 percent of the campus is wireless makes it attractive to prospective students.\n"Rarely a week goes by that I don't get a call from another university on how we do things," Workman said.\nWhile McKaig said it's true some students look at all the lists and rankings to pick a school, he thinks there are too many other factors that influence a student's decision, such as if their parents went to IU or the reputation of a specific program.\n"I didn't just want to go to an average school," said freshman Lauren Alexander. "But I didn't look at the statistics, I based it on word of mouth."\nAlexander, who plans to major in theater, said she knew IU had a respected theater program, but she said she would go if she liked it regardless of what anyone else said.\n"I never really saw any rankings," she said, then paused. "I did see IU was listed as the Hottest Big State School though."\nSitting in an airport headed to the Stratford Festival of Canada with the IU Beginnings Art and Culture expedition, Alexander said she picked up an issue of Newsweek to find IU on its list of America's Hot Colleges.\n"I was like, 'Hey! I'm going there,'" Alexander said. "That was fun"