Making Sense of College Rankings

Lists of colleges rankings are one tool for students compiling their list of colleges or seniors homing in on 'the one,' – and can be particularly useful this year as applicants cannot make in-person campus visits. 

These ranked lists should be kept in context, though, and used as just one tool for students to familiarize themselves with and research colleges. Students should use the ranking system as a starting point to get an idea as to which schools may have a good engineering program or a well-recognized theatre program, but not exclude a university just because it is ranked low.

For many students and parents, one of their many early college research options is to go directly to those high-profile lists of college rankings, such as the annual U.S. News and World Report. The assumption is that if a college is 'ranked' highly by certain publications, it must therefore be a 'good' or even 'great' college. International families, especially, often turn to the 'ratings' because in many other countries, the hierarchy of universities' reputations is clearly defined and known, and families want their children to study only at renowned American institutions. This phenomenon has often accounted for considerable increases in applications to colleges at the top of those rankings from students coming from foreign countries.

To truly understand how to use the rankings in the search process, families need to know what these rankings really mean. Higher education is intensely competitive, and a university's placement in the rankings is a massive force behind their fiscal decisions, enrollment numbers, and employment opportunities. When a college rises into the top 20-25 positions in U.S. News and World Report, its application volume increases by about 5%-10%. Even one step up the list can increase applications by 1%. The clear correlation between national/global rankings and application volume is often reflected in colleges' decisions on selectivity, standardized test scores, and high school rank. Unfortunately, students are often the losers in this 'game,' more so for students of color and low-income applicants, whose credentials may be overlooked due to a school’s sudden jump in the ranks.

“To get the most from the rankings, an understanding of how they are created is essential.”

To get the most from the rankings, an understanding of how they are created is essential. In 1983, the U.S. News & World Report published its first list of "America's Best Colleges" based upon college presidents' responses to survey questions. This list has become the most popular college ranking tool, now a far more sophisticated and objective ranking, using a complex methodology, analyzing the following: graduation and retention rates, academic reputation, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, and alumni giving. Other ranking lists also review the faculty's quality, volume of research, employer reputation, student/faculty ratio, and international student/faculty ratio.

Applicants must first know what matters to them in a college experience. For example, they may place great value on employment opportunities after graduation, but rankings rarely consider those numbers. Students may want to focus on graduation rates and student debt and don't feel it necessary to attend an expensive but highly ranked institution to achieve their goals. If this is the case, the rankings are irrelevant. Students may want to get a certain comfortable 'feeling' from the college they ultimately choose; these lists do not reflect non-academic elements like social life, athletics, or overall vibe.

To get the most from rankings, students need to compare the different lists and review methodologies. The lists give plenty of data students can use to personalize their needs. Use the lists to compare apples with apples – in other words, learn that it's not reasonable to compare the rankings of a university like Yale University, ranked #3, with one like Eckerd College, currently ranked #140. One is an outstanding national university, and the other an excellent small liberal arts college. Does that mean Yale is better for a particular student than Eckerd? No. If a student is clear on what they want, the lists are a way of learning more about options that fall within personal and academic parameters and don't merely focus on the beauty pageant lists but on what matters to each student.

“Rankings can be a student’s first college research stop but shouldn’t be the only stop.”

Everything matters as a student builds the college list. Visiting is crucial; once it's safe to do so, visit the campus in person, take a tour, check course offerings, academic and social support opportunities, location, and general ethos. Rankings can be a student's first college research stop but shouldn't be the only stop.