Do yourself a favor by not reading them.

Thank you very much for that answer, oh wise sage.

msmit106 is right.

it is better if you look up discussions on here about the specific college you are interested in.

Not only that, but at any school you only get what you put into it. I went with the what felt right option and busted my ass, and I couldn't be happier with my selection. It was ranked as a Hidden Gem in Architectural Education last year (Tulane) but to me its more about ambitious faculty who have a passion for learning that makes it so great. I've been lucky to have a few of those professors in my studios, and by busting my ass constantly I have learned so much more than I ever imagined just because I am getting what I put into it.

It's all bullshit until they change the system and allow the national champion to be selected by a playoff.

I chose my undergraduate degree based on that ranking, the school I chose is consistently in the top three. I was sorely disappointed. I feel sad when I find out that people use it as a resource for graduate school selection. If you are interested in a discussion as to why this ranking is bogus, I would be happy to comply.

houseofmud, you are f'ing hilarious!

The DI Rankings typically come out in early December each year; they cost $39.95 and are truly not worth the cost. Check out an architecture school library.

http://www.di.net/archschools/schools.html

lemme guess. The new DI will conclude:

1. Harvard School of Design...

A randomization function between Rice, Penn, Columbia, MIT, etc., will assign the next 9. A second randomization function will then assign the next 490 after that.