School of Architecture Rankings
No reliable system for ranking schools of architecture currently exists.  U.S. News and World Report has in the past published non-scientific subjective rankings of schools of architecture -- what essentially amounts to a popularity contest.  The Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) has formally requested U.S. News and World Report to amend their misleading practice of ranking architecture programs in the United States.  U.S. News and World Report fails to consider any factual criteria in determining its rankings -- it merely asks an administrator and one senior faculty member from each school to pick their favorite architecture programs.  U.S. News and World Report does not take into consideration the actual curricular, funding, staffing, resource and accreditation status of the Schools of Architecture which appear in its published rankings.  Because the number of persons who seek an architectural education constitute such a limited portion of the U.S. News and World Repor treadership, the magazine has admitted that it is unwilling to conduct a more comprehensive survey of architecture programs. In short, U.S. News and World Report provides magazine buyers with an abbreviated list of architecture programs in North America (including some very fine ones), however a  comprehensive list can be found for free at the ACSA Website: http://www.acsa-arch.org/

It is best to examine each school closely and weigh the merits and liabilities of each institution based upon the needs and expectations of the individual student.