US college rankings don’t show full story

On Sept. 10, U.S. News and World Report released their annual “Best Colleges” list. This time, however, there were significant deviations from past lists. Princeton University, ranked as the top school in the nation, dethroned Harvard University — the long-standing premier college in the country. Other shifts within the charts incited an array of reactions from the public.

Many people love to consult top 10 lists of everything from songs to restaurants to help them make decisions. These rankings, however, create definitive quality and value, making the subjective “best,” “sub-par” and “worst” very black and white. But the case is very different when it comes to collegiate rankings. When a hierarchy is imposed upon something as vital as education, especially high-stakes, high-price higher education, it creates a mindset that fixates more on numbers and standings and less about the collegiate experience.

For the past 30 years, U.S. News grades institutions based on criteria that they can change every year. According to the Huffington Post, factors that contribute to the valued system this year include reputation, student retention, faculty resources, exclusivity, money, graduation rate performance and alumni giving, with each element weighing differently in this quest to classify colleges. For example, reputation comprises 22.5 percent of the overall score, while alumni donations account for 5 percent.

Moreover, what is heavily evaluated is the quality of students based on their standardized test scores and high school class rank, not what the students learn once they arrive on campus. This algorithm, though, is oversimplified and faulty. Princeton might be the top college in the nation, and an acceptance definitely symbolizes achievement, but that does not necessarily mean that Princeton is the top college for every rising freshman in the nation. ABC News reported that this year there was less significance given to a school’s student body and an increase in the weight of how well a school educates its students.

Additionally, the financial and occupational prospects of graduates remain missing from U.S. News’ radar. In an economy still recovering from its worst recession since the Great Depression, students are more anxious than ever about finding employment immediately following graduation. To combat the downfalls of the U.S. News methodology, even President Barack Obama has stepped in to fill in the holes. In a speech at University of Buffalo last month, Obama proposed a government-facilitated evaluation accounting for student debt, graduation rates and earnings, among other margins. Other specialists have proposed a “best bang for the buck” system, designed to satiate frugal families.

But even these new propositions fail to emphasize the abundance of other facets of college life. Nowhere in U.S. News does it mention USC’s strong study abroad programs or enlightening lectures by renowned professors. Because of these omissions, it’s quite obvious that college rankings should not play such a major role in an  applicant’s decision. Those who wish to attend a school of higher education  should not have to feel pressured to choose the so-called “best” school. Instead, a student needs to choose whichever school works best for them personally.

To prospective college students, now seniors in high school fervidly filling out their applications: The numbers don’t determine the experience.

Danni Wang is a freshman majoring in health and humanity.

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