[paloalto]

I read the academic message boards far more than sports forums.  U. S. C. is notorious for "gaming" the US News & World rankings.  They admit their best students in the fall semester and defer the others until spring semester.  US News only evaluates freshman students beginning fall semester.  That is just one example.  There are plenty other methods employed by U. S. C., University of Chicago, and other schools rapidly climbing in the US News yearly rankings. 

Having said that U. S. C. is an outstanding school and has done many good things for academics in the last ten years.

[paloalto]

I read the academic message boards far more than sports forums.  U. S. C. is notorious for "gaming" the US News & World rankings.  They admit their best students in the fall semester and defer the others until spring semester.  US News only evaluates freshman students beginning fall semester.  That is just one example.  There are plenty other methods employed by U. S. C., University of Chicago, and other schools rapidly climbing in the US News yearly rankings. 

Having said that U. S. C. is an outstanding school and has done many good things for academics in the last ten years.