College rankings have become a fixture in the college admissions process. Every year, magazines and websites publish lists of the “best” colleges in the country, and students and families are often influenced by these rankings as they make their college decisions. But it is important to remember that there are many other factors that should be considered when considering attending a college, and even reasons why you shouldn’t pay much attention to those rankings at all.
Rankings are subjective. Different rankings use different criteria, and the weight given to each criterion varies wildly. That means that rankings from two different organizations can produce completely different results – for the same school. In addition, rankings often favor elite schools with large endowments and high admissions standards.
Rankings are based on limited data. Rankings typically use data such as SAT scores, GPA, faculty-to-student ratios or graduation rates. While these factors are important, they simply cannot tell the whole story. They don’t take into account factors such as the quality of teaching, the availability of extracurricular activities, or student engagement and can’t always measure what’s important to students, like the level of student support or the overall campus culture.
Rankings can be misleading. Some schools “game the rankings” by focusing on factors that will help them move up the list and increase their bottom line, rather than on what’s best for their students.
Rankings are not the only thing that matters. What’s more important than rankings? Focus on finding a college that is a good fit for your individual needs and goals.
- Look at a wide variety of schools. Don’t focus on the top-ranked schools. There are thousands of colleges in the United States, and only a small fraction of them are ranked in the top 100 or even the top 500. Many outstanding colleges routinely “don’t make” the rankings! But some of these colleges offer what the big names can’t: smaller class sizes, more personalized attention, more opportunity, more affordable tuition or better financial aid to name a few.
- Do your own rankings:
- What are you interested in studying? Does the school offer the programs that you want?
- How much can you afford to pay for college? Does the school offer financial aid?
- Where do you want to live? A big city, a small town, or somewhere in between?
- What kind of campus do you want? Do you want a large, urban university or a small, rural college? Do you want a school with a lot of extracurricular activities or a school that is more focused on academics? Do you want to attend a school with a lot of school spirit or one that’s more laid-back? Do you have specific physical or other needs to consider?
How to find a good college without relying on rankings:
- Research colleges online.
- Read college reviews from current and former students.
- Attend college fairs.
- Visit the schools that interest you, if at all possible. There is simply no better way to see if a college is a good fit than to be there in person.
Keep in mind: The best college for you is not necessarily the one at the top of a flashy list; it’s the one that is the best fit for your needs and goals. A college is only perfect if it’s the perfect choice for you.