On Sept. 17, the U.S. News & World Report published the 2024 rankings of the best national universities. From 2023 to 2024, USC dropped from No. 25 to No. 28 in the report’s rankings — a four-way tie with UC Davis, UC San Diego and the University of Florida. 

This year’s rank change is chalked up to the report eliminating certain factors, including “alumni giving rate, class size, the high school class standing of new entrants, the proportion of graduates borrowing and the proportion of faculty with terminal degrees.”

This news was met with an amalgam of responses, especially on social media. Some students have questioned the legitimacy of the rating — and some question why colleges rank at all — but the majority agree that USC will continue to thrive, no matter what.

In light of these events, I wonder why we are so captivated by college rankings. And, in the long run, do they really matter? 

While the recent ranking seems to cover all aspects of national universities at a surface level like first-year retention rates, postgraduate earnings and financial resources, it doesn’t consider student life, quality of residential housing or athletics in its data. A university’s atmosphere and the extracurricular activities it offers are critical in making a college experience worth it. 

Ohio State’s Center for the Study of Student Life reports that student involvement positively affects academic performance, development, well-being and multicultural awareness. Furthermore, the Oregon Institute of Technology reports that students who live on campus become more involved in extracurriculars and clubs, express greater satisfaction with their undergraduate experience, and are more likely to graduate. 

While most students aren’t playing on a competitive sports team, athletics can improve the quality of life on a university’s campus overall. Through things like ticket sales, donor contributions, and media rights, sports increase a school’s profit and foster a community over sports culture.

Beyond disregarding certain aspects of the ranking process, prospective students still turn to lists like the U.S. News and World Report when applications open. For most incoming students, college rankings hold weight for various reasons: the status of going to an elite university, simple answers to an overwhelming process of choosing a university or betting on educational level that might match a school’s reputation.

But this shouldn’t be the only factor when considering what college to attend or continue your education. 

Don’t get me wrong, this is not to bash college rankings. Institutions take pride in their top spots — on every college tour and advertisement I saw for my top-pick universities, their rankings were in big, bolded letters — but they only matter to a point. 

It is well-known that going to a university with some notoriety can open up doors and expose students to opportunities they would’ve otherwise gone without at a lesser-known school. Beyond this, rankings aren’t limited to how renowned an institution is; there are rankings based on affordability, education in a particular major and even post-graduate success. 

However, it is easy to rely on a singular ranking list and disregard other schools that might be a better fit depending on the applicant. USC might be ranked No. 28 now, but there is no better school for an aspiring filmmaker or hopeful journalist. 

There are many factors to consider in college selection other than rankings; class size, tuition cost, campus life, safety, location, debt size and career services are just a few examples. You could pay top dollar for a university that isn’t the right fit for you. Beyond this, education is what you make of it. Going to a top-dog school isn’t worth much if you don’t take advantage of the opportunities presented. 

The bottom line is that no matter the ranking, USC will be fine. It will still receive donations, notability and prestige; future students will continue to enroll. And while college rankings can seem significant, there’s so much more to a university than its rank on a website.