Reconsidering College Rankings
Each year, accredited magazines, such as the U.S. News & World Report, and a few others, publish college rankings. However, parents and students must keep in mind that the publication of school rankings is a business endeavor responding to consumer demands. Frankly, college ranking lists do not always provide very useful information when it comes to determining which college students should apply. Factors used in the calculations are in themselves, often immaterial to the individual scholar. Although the system of ranking schools simplifies an otherwise byzantine and complicated process, the most important factors that do play a role in students’ educational experiences cannot be calculated.
Reflecting on the formulas and factors that are considered in school rankings, Jeffrey Brenzel, the Dean of Admissions at Yale University, explains that the overall scores “reflect alumni giving rates, student-to-teacher ratios, median SAT scores, persistence to graduation, admissions selectivity and other data that provide little information about specific program strengths, honors programs or the general way in which the school lifts and supports student aspirations.” Students should not rely solely on college rankings to make a decision about college; rather, they should take on a more inclusive and comprehensive approach when it comes to determining which colleges are best suited for them. Deciding on a college is a far more multifaceted process, one that is intimate, personal, and financial in its subjectivity. Students must find colleges that are a proper match to their personal interests, personalities, learning styles, scholastic achievements, and career goals.
A shortcoming of the ranking system is that it places too much emphasis on the misleading notion that the college you attend communicates your personal value and your position in society. Students, in turn, internalize the myth that others will think more approvingly of them if they attend a higher ranked school. Similarly, rankings encourage students to internalize the belief that the college they attend defines their value as an individual and determines their future successes. In contrast, Brenzel argues that criteria such as “specific academic offerings, intellectual and social climate, ease of access to faculty, international opportunities and placement rates for careers or for graduate and professional school” should play a larger role in determining school ranking.
Rather than rely solely on college rankings, a healthier approach would be to work closely with college counselors and the high school counseling office. This process will help to determine school characteristics that are most important to the student, and identify a spectrum of schools that align with his/her high school academic record, extracurricular and leadership involvements, test scores, and personal goals. The differences in ranking between schools is far less likely to impact a student’s college experience when compared to the personal choices and the degree of investment students take to explore and take advantage of the different opportunities that are afforded them at the school.
Most importantly, students need to understand that a college’s rank does not correspond to their personal experiences, what they will achieve, or how gratifying the experiences will be. In his concluding remarks, Brenzel reassures students, “What you accomplish in college – and in the years after – will instead be a function of how well you engage the incredible variety of opportunities and challenges that college presents.”
To read more about college rankings, visit http://admissions.yale.edu/beyond-college-rankings
