Page 101 - EW April 2025

internships in companies and insti- LAUNCHPAD STEERING COMMITTEE
tutions, ultimately leading to good
postgraduate admissions and career he EW-Launchpad America’s Best Universities Rankings 2025 are ideated
opportunities after graduation. The Tand designed by distinguished academics from top-ranked universities
EW-Launchpad Rankings 2025 evalu- and technology and business leaders as under:
ate America’s best universities for un- Raymond Ravaglia, former Dean and Director of Stanford University Pre-
dergrad education according to these Collegiate Studies and founder of the Stanford Online High School and
parameters,” says Ravaglia, a Stanford Dwight Global Online School.
University alum and 27-year veteran John Chuo, Medical Director of Telemedicine at Children’s Hospital
of Stanford University who founded of Philadelphia and Associate Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at the
Stanford’s Pre-Collegiate Program University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine.
and the globally acclaimed Stanford Tigran Sloyan, alum of MIT-Boston, Co-founder-CEO of CodeSignal
University Online High School. (estb.2015), a skills assessment platform that revolutionised
According to Ravaglia, traditional technical hiring by assessing measurable capabilities of job
university rankings are too often applicants.
based on factors such as admissions Manoj Kutty, Founder-CEO of GreenLight Credentials, a blockchain-
selectivity, faculty research citations, based platform that enables students to securely store and share
informal surveys, and size of endow- lifelong academic records.
ment. These parameters certainly Sheila Bauer, CEO of A Better Way to College, an educational
contribute to institutional prestige, consultancy providing students guidance for the best possible
but matter little for the undergradu- outcomes to and through college and career.
ate experience or quality of education
undergrads receive.
“To ideate and design the green- ing from the ranks of lower socio-eco- of data published annually by most
field EW-Launchpad Rankings of nomic families become high earners, colleges and universities but not gen-
America’s Best Universities we con- so that their career success is clearly erally collected into a common data-
stituted a committee of accomplished due to the university rather than to set.
educationists and entrepreneurs (see family connections? 1. Economic mobility
box). The EW-Launchpad Rankings By highlighting these factors, the Economic mobility is crucial because
2025 are the outcome of answers to EW-Launchpad Rankings prioritise it indicates how effectively a college
these questions: undergraduate education and indi- bridges education and post-gradu-
• Which universities offer small-size vidual student experience above insti- ation career progression. It demon-
classes to enable genuine faculty- tutional prestige,” explains Ravaglia. strates whether the institution helps
student interaction that can lead to students from diverse economic back-
meaningful mentorship and personal PARAMETERS OF UNDERGRAD grounds achieve substantial improve-
connections essential for letters of rec- EDUCATION EXCELLENCE ment in their financial prospects and
ommendation? In a detailed note, the Launchpad career paths.
• Is the faculty dedicated to teach- Rankings Committee explains the Assessment metrics. Support for
ing undergraduates? Is the university five core parameters ideated to assess upward economic mobility, especially
constituted to prioritise such teaching America’s best universities for under- for lower-income students, based on
by faculty or is much of the teaching grad students. Pell Grant recipient percentages, post-
delivered by non-faculty adjuncts or Data sources graduation earnings, and graduation
graduate students? IPEDS. The Integrated Postsecond- rates drawn from IPEDS and College
• Is experiential education through in- ary Education Data System (IPEDS) Scorecard.
ternships and co-ops provided? Is it is an annual survey conducted by the 2. Experiential learning
required? For international students U.S. Department of Education’s Na- Provision of experiential learning
especially, unless the university is tional Center for Education Statistics. opportunities ensures that students
firmly committed to ensuring that all College Scorecard. Launched by acquire workplace experience, pro-
students can obtain internships they the Department of Education in 2015, fessional skills, industry connections
will often find themselves graduating College Scorecard utilises IPEDS data which significantly enhances post-
without this vital element that is key and other federal sources to provide graduation employability and career
to finding high quality employment. critical information including average readiness.
• Does the college prepare students cost, graduation rates, student debt, Assessment metrics. Evaluation
for successful careers after gradua- and post-graduation earnings. of hands-on learning opportunities
tion? In particular, do students com- Common Data Set. A standard set (internships, co-ops), through study

APRIL 2025 EDUCATIONWORLD 101