The real PGR surveys will be getting underway in a few weeks, but I thought it might be interesting (or at least amusing) to see how the top 20 U.S. departments get ranked using the Condorcet system. Internet polls are fraught with obvious problems, but the Condorcet system often does amazingly well at undermining strategic voting and the like. I've listed 34 programs, based partly on 2009 results, and partly on changes in the interim. Have fun! Bear in mind that voters who have the most impact on the final results are those who take the time to rank all the options.
UPDATE (SEPTEMBER 9): So with about 550 votes cast, here's the 'top 20' (which has been fairly stable now for awhile):
| 1. New York University (Condorcet winner: wins contests with all other choices) |
| 2. Rutgers University, New Brunswick loses to New York University by 309–133 |
| 3. Princeton University loses to New York University by 350–104, loses to Rutgers University, New Brunswick by 253–198 |
| 4. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor loses to New York University by 400–58, loses to Princeton University by 345–108 |
| 5. Massachussetts Institute of Technology loses to New York University by 398–58, loses to University of Michigan, Ann Arbor by 223–219 |
| 6. University of Pittsburgh loses to New York University by 400–67, loses to Massachussetts Institute of Technology by 242–204 |
| 7. Harvard University loses to New York University by 387–71, loses to University of Pittsburgh by 236–210 |
| 8. Stanford University loses to New York University by 421–40, loses to Harvard University by 272–166 |
| 9. Yale University loses to New York University by 422–40, loses to Stanford University by 223–209 |
| 10. University of California, Berkeley loses to New York University by 415–54, loses to Yale University by 222–217 |
| 11. University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill loses to New York University by 429–30, loses to University of California, Berkeley by 235–193 |
| 12. Cornell University loses to New York University by 421–41, loses to University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill by 242–189 |
| 13. University of California, Los Angeles loses to New York University by 432–25, loses to Cornell University by 223–207 |
| 14. Columbia University loses to New York University by 426–40, loses to University of California, Los Angeles by 218–210 |
| 15. City University of New York Graduate Center loses to New York University by 424–41, loses to Columbia University by 238–177 |
| 16. University of Arizona loses to New York University by 431–29, loses to City University of New York Graduate Center by 221–203 |
| 17. University of Southern California loses to New York University by 439–22, loses to University of Arizona by 238–166 |
| 18. Brown University loses to New York University by 426–32, loses to University of Southern California by 207–198 |
| 19. University of Chicago loses to New York University by 415–48, loses to Brown University by 240–178 |
| 20. University of Notre Dame loses to New York University by 433–31, loses to University of Chicago by 217–188 |
| Runner-up: University of Texas, Austin loses to New York University by 436–19, loses to University of Notre Dame by 221–173 |
It's interesting that these results aren't crazy, even if one might quibble (MIT too high; Pitt, UNC, UCLA, Columbia, Arizona too low etc.); the Condorcet method produces fewer ties. One suspects 'halo' effects were doing some work here, but we'll see how the PGR survey results compare in a couple of months.
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