College Admissions: Reality Check on the Latest College Rankings
Monday, August 08, 2011
Forbes, US News & World Report, Kiplinger... the ratings giants have begun to release their annual lists of the “Best Colleges” and the “Best Buy Colleges”. Forbes was first this week, placing Williams College at #1 on their list of “Top Colleges”, followed by Princeton at #2 and West Point at #3. Harvard was snubbed with a #6 position and Yale came in at a lowly #14. Brown pulled in out of the top 20 at #21 (see GoLocalProv's coverage, here). What does it all really mean and how should families
use rankings?
Examine the data points
Forbes used a Washington, DC think tank to create its list. The methodology looked at factors such as 4-year graduation rates, starting salaries, student satisfaction, quality of teaching, debt and the number of students receiving prestigious academic awards like Fulbright Scholarships. Because of the emphasis on financial factors in the Forbes rankings, the military academies did very well, as did the nation’s wealthiest colleges. Some of the big surprises: you won’t find Cornell, UPENN or UC-Berkeley in even the top 50!
Consider what is important to you
Williams is a fabulous school, but if your daughter wants to study chemical engineering or your son thrives on the stimulation of a city, Williams is unlikely to be a good fit. The fact that West Point is free may not be a factor if your son or daughter is a pacifist and their college costs are already funded. Families need to consider what areas of interest their child has academically and personally and then examine how well a college will be able to address those needs. Students need to consider location, social atmosphere, class size, extra-curricular activities, internships, retention and graduation rates, and the availability of need-based and merit aid. If your child has a learning disability or medical needs, then those items also need to be carefully factored in.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTPersonal drive trumps college prestige
Colin Powell went to the City College of New York, Warren Buffet went to the University of Nebraska, Oprah went to Tennessee State and Sam Walton (Wal-Mart founder) went to the University of Missouri. Fewer than 10% of Fortune 500 CEO’s went to an Ivy League college. I have former students home for vacation from Ivy League schools floundering with no summer plans, while my students from “less prestigious” colleges are busy with internships at Rolls Royce, the US Senate and on Wall Street. In the end, drive is what will make you a success, not the name on your college diploma.
Putting it all in perspective
If funding college is a concern, it does matter how much debt a student will graduate with. How students view their professors and how happy they are on campus is critical. Attrition rates and 4-year graduation rates are important factors to review when considering a college. However, most college presidents have been very vocal about their dislike of college rankings with good reason. Many of the nation’s elite colleges refuse to provide data when US News & World Report comes knocking, and the reason is simple. No rating system can adequately assess all the factors on campus or what is not quantifiable. Nor can the rankings tell you which college is right for a student’s interests, abilities or personal growth. So read the rankings, dive into the data, enjoy the sensational moments when Haverford comes in at #7 leaving Cornell behind in the dust at #51, but then put the ratings aside and return to the reality of what will be best for your child as an individual.
Cristiana Quinn, M.Ed. is the founder of College Admission Advisors, LLC which provides strategic, college counseling and athletic recruiting services for students. www.collegeadvisorsonline.com.
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