Evaluating the Top-50 Graduate Programs in Chemistry      
A New, Comprehensive Ranking by David Fraley that includes the Top-10 Listings in 7 Specialties    
   
Overall Convert to Adjusted Convert to Adjusted Convert to Adjusted Convert to Adjusted Convert to Adjusted Convert to Adjusted Convert to Adjusted Top-10   Top-10 US News NRC (1995)   Overall Big Comments on the Six Top-10   Rational for this New Ranking System   Overall US News Change Absolute Flag Athletic Other than
School Rank Organic 10 Scale Weight Physical 10 Scale Weight Biochemistry 10 Scale Weight Inorganic 10 Scale Weight Analytical 10 Scale Weight Theoretical 10 Scale Weight Polymer 10 Scale Weight Adj. Score   Rank 2007 Quality Effectiveness   Score Rank Changes Specialties in 2006  (thus omit Polymer)   Sources of the Data, and Ranking Criteria   School Rank 1996 2006 in Rank Value Changes Conference Division-I
2006/1996 1 2006/1996 1 2006/1996 1 2006/1996 0.8 2006/1996 0.7 2006 only 0.25 1996 only 0.25 Low=Best   30% 50% 10% 10%   Weighted 96 to 06    
      The Rational for this new Ranking System is to combine:  
UC-Berkeley 1 2 9 9 1 10 10 2 9 9 3 8 6.4 10.6 0.4 0.28 1 10 2.5 0 0 3.6   1 1 1 2   1.1 1 A perennial Top-5 school - in 5 Top-10 specialties   (1) the current, well-known, overall results from US News,   UC-Berkeley 1 1 1 0 0 Pac-10
MIT 2 5 6 6 3 8 8 5 6 6 1 10 8 0 0 5 6 1.5 9 2 0.5 5.0   3 1 5 3   2.2 2 A perennial Top-5 school - in 5 Top-10 specialties   (2) their current Top-10 rankings in various specialties,   MIT 2 2 1 1 1 New England 3
Caltech 2 3 8 8 2 9 9 4 7 7 2 9 7.2 10.4 0.6 0.42 2 9 2.25 3 8 2 3.8   2 3 2 1   2.4 2 A perennial Top-5 school - in 5 Top-10 specialties   (3) older Top-20 rankings from the 1998 US News issue, with   Caltech 2 2 3 -1 1 SCIAC 3
Harvard 4 1 10 10 5 6 6 1 10 10 9 2 1.6 0 0 4 7 1.75 0 0 5.1   4 3 3.5 4.5   3.5 4 A perennial Top-5 school - in 5 Top-10 specialties   (4) the very thorough (but indeed older) results from the 1995 NRC   Harvard 4 2 3 -1 1 Ivy League
Stanford   5   4 7 7   4 7 7   7 4 4   7 4 3.2     0 0   7 4 1   10 1 0.25   6.5   5 3 3.5 4.5     3.8 5       A perennial Top-5 school - in 5 Top-10 specialties   study.  The weighting ratios were developed by Dr. David     Stanford   5   2 3   -1 1     Pac-10  
Illinois 6 7 4 4 7 4 4 10.6 0.4 0.4 5 6 4.8 3 8 5.6 10 1 0.25 0 0 7.2   6 6 8 7   6.3 6 In 5 of the 6 Top-10 specialties   Fraley, Georgetown College, who is responsible for all content.   Illinois 6 8 6 2 2 Big-10
Wisconsin 7 8 3 3 8 3 3 6 5 5 8 3 2.4 4 7 4.9 9 2 0.5 0 0 7.2   6 7 10 10   7.3 7 The Only school in all 6 of the Top-10 specialties   Contact him at dfraley@georgetowncollege.edu with your thoughts.   Wisconsin 7 10 7 3 3 Big-10
Columbia 7 6 5 5 10 1 1 10.4 0.6 0.6 0 0 0 0 3 8 2 0 0 9.3   8 7 7 8   7.4 7 In 3 of the 6 Top-10 specialties     Columbia 7 6 7 -1 1 Ivy League
Northwestern 9 0 0 10.6 0.4 0.4 0 0 4 7 5.6 0 0 5 6 1.5 0 0 9.5   11 9 14 11.5   10.4 9 In 2 of the 6 Top-10 specialties     Northwestern 9 12 9 3 3 Big-10
Cornell 10 10.2 0.8 0.8 10.2 0.8 0.8 0 0 10.4 0.6 0.48 10.6 0.4 0.28 0 0 6 5 1.25 10.3   20 9 6 6   11.7 10 Not listed in any of the Top-10 specialties   The US News America's Best Graduate Schools, 2007 Ed., is the   Cornell 10 6 9 -3 3 Ivy League
Texas   10   10 1 1   10.4 0.6 0.6     0 0   10.4 0.6 0.48   7 4 2.8   10 1 0.25     0 0   10.0   14 9 13 19     11.9 10   ▲   In 3 of the 6 Top-10 specialties   source for the US News Top-50 Chemistry graduate schools and for   Texas   10   16 9   7 7 ▲   Big-12  
North Carolina 12 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 2 1.6 1 10 7 0 0 0 0 9.3   8 14 17 14   12.5 12 In 2 of the 6 Top-10 specialties   their Top-10 rankings in 6 specialties.  That data was collected in   North Carolina 12 15 14 1 1 ACC
Chicago 13 10.6 0.4 0.4 6 5 5 0 0 10.6 0.4 0.32 0 0 7 4 1 0 0 9.7   13 14 10 11.5   13.1 13 In 2 of the 6 Top-10 specialties   2006 as part of their biennial survey of the sciences.   Chicago 13 8 14 -6 6 University 3
UCLA 14 10.2 0.8 0.8 10.4 0.6 0.6 9 2 2 10.4 0.6 0.48 0 0 0 0 0 0 10.2   19 12 10 13   14.0 14 On 1 Top-10 list.     UCLA 14 10 12 -2 2 Pac-10
Yale   15   10.4 0.6 0.6   10.6 0.4 0.4   10 1 1     0 0     0 0     0 0     0 0   10.6   25 12 12 9     15.6 15       On 1 Top-10 list.     Yale   15   12 12   0 0     Ivy League  
UC-San Diego 16 10.6 0.4 0.4 0 0 7 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10.1   16 18 18.5 18   17.5 16 On 1 Top-10 list.   The US News America's Best Graduate Schools, 1998 Ed.,    UC-San Diego 16 20 18 2 2 Calif. Collegiate 2
Texas A&M 17 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 5 4 10.6 0.4 0.28 0 0 0 0 10.1   16 18 15 26.5   18.0 17 On 1 Top-10 list.   is the source for (1) the Polymer rankings and    Texas A&M 17 19 18 1 1 Big-12
Purdue 18 0 0 0 0 0 0 10.4 0.6 0.48 2 9 6.3 0 0 0 0 9.6   12 22 24 16.5   18.7 18 On 1 Top-10 list.   (2) the lower (11-20) rankings for 5 other specialties,   Purdue 18 16 22 -6 6 Big-10
Indiana 19 10.4 0.6 0.6 0 0 0 0 10.2 0.8 0.64 6 5 3.5 0 0 0 0 10.1   16 24 16 22   20.6 19 ▼ On 1 Top-10 list.   because that year US News listed 20 schools per specialty.   Indiana 19 16 24 -8 8 ▼ Big-10
Princeton   20     0 0   10.4 0.6 0.6   10.6 0.4 0.4     0 0     0 0     0 0     0 0   10.8   34 14 20 16.5     20.9 20       Not listed in any of the Top-10 specialties   Using that older data (acquired in 1996) enables the rankings to   Princeton   20   12 14   -2 2     Ivy League  
Pennsylvania 21 10.4 0.6 0.6 10.4 0.6 0.6 10.6 0.4 0.4 10.6 0.4 0.32 0 0 0 0 0 0 10.6   25 18 25 23   21.3 21 Not listed in any of the Top-10 specialties   give a small benefit to schools that were in the 11-20 range.   Pennsylvania 21 20 18 2 2 Ivy League
Michigan 22 10.6 0.4 0.4 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 3 2.1 0 0 0 0 10.5   23 17 35 26.5   21.6 22 On 1 Top-10 list.   Thus, if a school was in the Top-10 in 1996, but not in 2006, it   Michigan 22 20 17 3 3 Big-10
Minnesota 23 10.6 0.4 0.4 10.6 0.4 0.4 10.4 0.6 0.6 9 2 1.6 10.4 0.6 0.42 0 0 0 0 10.3   20 24 21 21   22.2 23 On 1 Top-10 list.   earned a 10.2.  If it was 11-15, it earned a 10.4.  If it was in the 16-20   Minnesota 23 20 24 -4 4 Big-10
UC-San Francisco 23 0 0 0 0 3 8 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9.4   10 31 23 15   22.3 23 UC-SF was not ranked in 1996 by US News;  Grad.program only   range, it earned a 10.6 on a 10 point scale.  (Yes,the math does work!)   UC-San Francisco 23 31 N/A N/A None No sports
Penn State   25   10.6 0.4 0.4   10.6 0.4 0.4   10.4 0.6 0.6   10.6 0.4 0.32   10.4 0.6 0.42     0 0     0 0   10.6   25 22 18.5 24     22.8 25       Not listed in any of the Top-10 specialties   This helped delineate some schools in the rankings and helped   Penn State   25   27 22   5 5     Big-10  
UC-Irvine 26 9 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10.6   25 18 36 43.5   24.5 26 ▲ On 1 Top-10 list.   flag those schools that are particularly good in a specialty.   UC-Irvine 26 28 18 10 10 ▲ Big West
Ohio State 27 10.6 0.4 0.4 0 0 0 0 0 0 10.2 0.8 0.56 0 0 0 0 10.8   34 24 22 20   26.4 27 Not listed in any of the Top-10 specialties     Ohio State 27 20 24 -4 4 Big-10
Johns Hopkins 28 0 0 0 0 10 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10.8   34 24 27 29   27.8 28 On 1 Top-10 list.     Johns Hopkins 28 20 24 -4 4 Centennial 3
Washington 29 0 0 10.6 0.4 0.4 10.4 0.6 0.6 0 0 10 1 0.7 0 0 0 0 10.7   32 24 28.5 35   28.0 29 On 1 Top-10 list.   The National Research Council's landmark book,   Washington 29 28 24 4 4 Pac-10
Colorado   30     0 0   9 2 2   10.2 0.8 0.8     0 0     0 0     0 0     0 0   10.4   22 24 42 55     28.3 30       On 1 Top-10 list.   Research-Doctorate Programs in the United States, 1995,   Colorado   30   20 24   -4 4     Big-12  
Arizona 31 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 7 4.9 0 0 0 0 10.0   14 38 N/A N/A   29.0 31 No 1995 NRC results, thus their weighted score is approximate   is the source of the data for 2 rankings:   Arizona 31 37 38 -1 1 Pac-10
Iowa State 32 0 0 0 0 0 0 10.4 0.6 0.48 9 2 1.4 0 0 0 0 10.6   25 38 26 25   31.6 32 ▼ Not listed in any of the Top-10 specialties   (1)  the Scholarly Quality of the Faculty and   Iowa State 32 28 38 -10 10 ▼ Big-12
Rice 33 0 0 10.4 0.6 0.6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10.9   38 31 28.5 30   32.8 33 Not listed in any of the Top-10 specialties   (2)  the Program Effectiveness in Educating Research Scientists.   Rice 33 32 31 1 1 C-USA
Utah 34 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10.6 0.4 0.28 0 0 0 0 10.9   38 34 31.5 28   34.4 34 Not listed in any of the Top-10 specialties   Their data was collected in 1993, but it is very thorough and accurate.   Utah 34 28 34 -6 6 Mountain West
Florida   35     0 0     0 0     0 0     0 0   10.2 0.8 0.56     0 0     0 0   10.9   38 34 30 39.5     35.4 35       Not listed in any of the Top-10 specialties   The study is scheduled to be updated in 2007.  The new data   Florida   35   32 34   -2 2   SEC    
UC-Santa Barbara 36 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11.0   46 31 33 43.5   37.0 36 Not listed in any of the Top-10 specialties   will be included in this ranking as soon as it's available.   UC-Santa Barbara 36 37 31 6 6 Big West
Pittsburgh 37 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11.0   46 34 34 32   37.4 37 Not listed in any of the Top-10 specialties     Pittsburgh 37 40 34 6 6 Big East
Georgia Tech. 38 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11.0   46 24 64 56   37.8 38 ▲▲ Big Boost up… Not listed in any of the Top-10 specialties     Georgia Tech. 38 40 24 16 16 ▲▲ ACC
Duke 39 10.6 0.4 0.4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10.9   38 38 44 37.5   38.6 39 Not listed in any of the Top-10 specialties   To determine the influence on Top-10 Rankings,  the Big-3:   Duke 39 32 38 -6 6 ACC
UC-Davis   40     0 0     0 0     0 0     0 0     0 0     0 0     0 0   11.0   46 34 47.5 37.5     39.3 40       Not listed in any of the Top-10 specialties   Organic, Physical, and Biochemistry each have a maximum    UC-Davis   40   40 34   6 6     Big West  
Michigan State 41 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10.6 0.4 0.28 0 0 0 0 10.9   38 42 39 33.5   39.7 41 ▼ Not listed in any of the Top-10 specialties   weighted value of 1.0, while Inorganic is 0.8.  The less   Michigan State 41 32 42 -10 10 ▼ Big-10
Emory 42 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11.0   46 38 38 36   40.2 42 Not listed in any of the Top-10 specialties   prestigious Analytical is dropped to 0.7.  Theoretical is weighted at   Emory 42 40 38 2 2 University 3
Colorado State 43 10.6 0.4 0.4 0 0 0 0 0 0 10.6 0.4 0.28 0 0 0 0 10.9   38 45 37 33.5   41.0 43 ▼▼ Big Drop down… Not listed in any of the Top-10 specialties   only 0.25 (since it's a part of P.Chem.) and Polymer is also at 0.25    Colorado State 43 32 45 -13 13 ▼▼ Mountain West
Washington (St. Louis) 44 0 0 0 0 10.4 0.6 0.6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10.9   38 42 55 51   43.0 44 Not listed in any of the Top-10 specialties   because the data is older and it's found at only a few schools.   Washington (St. Louis) 44 46 42 4 4 University 3
Virginia   45     0 0     0 0     0 0     0 0     0 0     0 0     0 0   11.0   46 42 43 41     43.2 45       Not listed in any of the Top-10 specialties   Thus a premium is given to those schools which have a specialty   Virginia   45   40 42   -2 2     ACC  
Southern California 46 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11.0   46 45 40 45   44.8 46 Not listed in any of the Top-10 specialties   in the Top-10 in 2006 and a reduced premium for being in the    Southern California 46 40 45 -5 5 Pac-10
Maryland 50 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11.0   46 45 52.5 63.5   47.9 50 Not listed in any of the Top-10 specialties   Top-11 thru 20 in 1996.  (Note: a recent Top-20 ranking of specialties    Maryland 50 46 45 1 1 ACC
Florida State 51 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11.0   46 45 51 72.5   48.7 51 Not listed in any of the Top-10 specialties   would be most helpful.)   Florida State 51 46 45 1 1 ACC
       
Schools in the Top-50         Schools in the Top-50
in 1996, but not 2006:       The Overall Ranking is thus based on 4 values:   in 1996, but not 2006:
Rochester 47 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11.0   46 50 31.5 31   45.1 47 ▼▼ Rochester took a big drop from 1996 to 2006         50% on the current US News ranking,    Rochester 47 37 >50 ▼▼ University 3
SUNY-Stony Brook 48 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11.0   46 50 46 42   47.6 48         30% on Top-10 Specialties,   SUNY-Stony Brook 48 46 >50 America East
Georgia 52 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11.0   46 50 49 65   50.2 52         10% on NRC Scholarly Quality, and   Georgia 52 46 >50 SEC
            10% on NRC Educational Effectiveness.  
Polymer Chemistry         Polymer Chemistry -0.32 4.02 Average
Programs listed in 1996         Programs listed in 1996 5.34 3.47 Std. Dev.
Massachusetts 1 10 2.5 10.5   23 60 58 47   47.4   The Big Changes note those schools that made a   Massachusetts Atlantic-10
Case Western Reserve 5 6 1.5 10.7   32 60 71 60.5   52.8   significant move + or - in the past 10 years (1996 to 2006).   Case Western Reserve University 3
Virginia Tech 8 3 0.75 10.9   38 60 67 53.5   53.5   This is based only on their US News rankings.  It took a move   Virginia Tech ACC
Carnegie Mellon                                                       10 1 0.25   11.0   46 80 74 72.5     68.5   of at least +/- 7 places to be noted with ▲ or ▼arrows and a   Carnegie Mellon                     University 3
Akron 2 9 2.25 10.6   25 100 116 110.5   80.2   move of +/- 13 places to be noted with ▲▲ or ▼▼ arrows.   Akron Mid-America
Polytechnic (NY) 6 5 1.25 10.8   34 100 109 110.5   82.2   (No statistical significance is implied with these changes.  A move of   Polytechnic (NY) Skyline 3
Southern Mississippi 3 8 2 10.6   25 120 154 157   98.6   +/- 5 in the top part of the rankings indicates a much larger relative    Southern Mississippi C-USA
  change than a similar movement in the lower part of the rankings.    
  Thus, the arrows are designed to only show major trends.)