Sure enough that Caltech is ranked number one by Times Higher Education magazine of Great Britain, according to a survey released on October 1, 2014.  AAEA published its research finding on September 21, 2014 which shown that Caltech is the only higher education institution among the top ten US Colleges and Universities published by US NEWS which is less dependent on the regulator’s financial support.  Based on the Association studies using national data published by NCES, in no doubt that Caltech is the only institution among the top ten schools that is less dependent on Government’s support.  While other schools’ financial independent steadily dropped in the past ten years (2000-2010), Caltech’s dependency is improving over time.  The Times Higher Education has used different yardsticks to come out with the rankings, while AAEA only use two measures, but the data and analyses point to the same direction.

It is pretty interesting to see how the ranking report could have positive impacts to the American public.  One day after the Times announcement, the University of Chicago, who fell from the top-ten ranked school last year reacted to make the PR damage control (hopefully this is not the case).  It announces today (October 2, 2014) that the institution is embarking to enroll more economically disadvantaged students.  The policy will include elimination of loans from aids packages. Notes the word “embarking” was carefully crafted and used in the announcement.  Readers need to pay a close attention on what the school administrators really mean when they say thing.  Will they actually do it?  Who knows?  However, if one looks at its Government Financial Dependency Ratio of 75%, there is a good chance that the school’s administrator will not be able to keep his or her promise.

Public pressures surely have positive impacts.  However, it will be better if US higher education institutions more proactive instead of reactive to help solving the students’ financial burdens.

Congratulations to Caltech for a job well done.