I see you only cherry picked a part of that statement. Surely you understand that research grants are awarded to professors and departments? As are many donations are earmarked for specific programs and departments. Those research dollars are what directly fund grad student positions. And the rankings are relatively stable, although there can be jockeying in some specific tiers. Schools like John’s Hopkins, UCLA and Michigan will be near the top of health care research dollars as well as top rankings in practically any year. Your posts read as someone who is trying to rationalize personal decisions rather than someone who knows how the system works.