Emory, Three Other Schools Dropped From Forbes Rankings for Two Years

Forbes said for more than a decade, Emory had provided test data based on all students it admitted, rather than on those who actually enrolled…and that artificially boosted Emory’s ranking.

Last August, Emory admitted it had misrepresented some of the data it sent to ranking publications.

Forbes executive editor Michael Noer (NOR) said Emory has taken steps to prevent future misrepresentations…but he said Forbes had to do something about a decade of bad numbers.

“It’s punitive,” Noer told WABE.  ”They lied about their data to the government and we use that data for ranking these schools, and it’s a terrible thing to do.”

Emory officials declined WABE’s request for interviews.  But an e-mailed statement from interim vice president for communications and marketing Nancy Seideman said:  “Forbes decision is unwarranted, and underscores why students and parents should take all of these rankings with a grain of salt.  Emory is one of the nation’s best universities, whether or not it appears on a particular list.”

Last year, Emory ranked 46^th overall on the Forbes list.   U.S. News and World Report also publishes college rankings.  Last August, U.S. News Editor Brian Kelly spoke with WABE’s Denis O’Hayer about Emory’s admissions.  Click here for that interview.