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 “How important are college rankings when choosing a college?” – Jamie R., Madison, WI

Experts	Expert Answers
Ralph FigueroaTitle:Director of College GuidanceOrganization:Albuquerque Academy in New Mexico	Use with caution! Rankings are a good source of information. I would never buy an appliance without checking consumer ratings. Appliances get put through rigorous testing before they are rated by consumer magazines, but that isn’t true of colleges. Most college rankings get information directly from the colleges. In US News and World Report the data is plugged into a formula that is completely made up. It has nothing to do with what YOU will find important in a college. So use the DATA that is published for your own comparison of things like graduation and retention rates. But IGNORE the numerical rankings.
Betsy MorganTitle: FounderOrganization: College Matters LLC	Colleges don’t change much year to year.  Why do the rankings?After all, who would buy the magazines or guidebooks if there weren’t a new number one?  While some of the data used to derive the rankings are objective, subjective aspects such as perceived reputation are often used.  And statistics can be manipulated or misinterpreted.  Part of the problem is that the schools themselves provide much of the information going into the rankings. While many try to be absolutely accurate, some occasionally enhance their scores through creative data reporting.  Should you ignore the rankings altogether?  Not necessarily.  But take them for what they are: a very small piece of the puzzle.
Gael CasnerTitle: FounderOrganization: CollegeFindEdu.com	Look beyond college rankings to find a good matchEveryyear various companies post their annual college rankings.  Families clamor to these sources, imagining that the order of each college gives insight into its educational value.  The lower the number, the better the college, right?  What rankings do not address is this: what do you need to be happy and successful at college?  What environment will inspire you to take advantage of opportunities in and out of the classroom?  Smart students will consider factors like teacher/student engagement, active learning experiences, and student culture. It’s important to find an academic and social setting that fits your unique style.
Lynda McGeeTitle: College CounselorOrganization: Magnets High School	College rankings are meant to be a guide, not a bible As more and more college put ads in magazines and on the internet, it can be confusing.  Their view books make them all sound so wonderful. Rankings can help you sort out which programs are considered the most selective and prestigious. However, are they always the right choice? And how do they choose who makes the top of the list?  Many factors go into college rankings, including alumni donations and how other institutions perceive them. Take that into account when you start to think that school #1 must be much better than school #20. What the rankings can do is introduce you to great schools you may be unfamiliar with. So check out those rankings, but remember that you will find an excellent education up and down the list.
Bob Tillman Title: Director of College PlacementOrganization: Creighton Preparatory School	College Rankings offer limited information If someeone is consulting college rankings, it is important to know what the rankings are based on. For instance, US News and World Report rankings provide a person with a list of schools that have a strong academic reputation, have good graduation and retention rates, are selective in admission of students, and have good salaries for their faculty and smaller classes. Those rankings do not tell you about student satisfaction with teaching, the campus living environment, percentage of students admitted to graduate school, or friendliness of students. Some important factors to consider that often are overlooked by students and might not be included in the rankings are the core course requirements at different schools, quality of the teachers encountered in the first two years of college, ability in enroll as a freshman in my desired major, guarantee of on-campus housing beyond freshman or sophomore year, the presence of an Honor Code on the campus, and the extent of study-abroad options. The rankings can provide a prospective student with some limited information, but there is so much other information a student needs to learn to determine if a school is a good fit for them.

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The Unigo Expert Network is a group of top education experts across the US dedicated to the success and well-being of high school students as they make the transition to college life.  With members from 2 year, 4 year, private, public, and independent institutions, the network has over 3,000 years of collective experience, spanning all areas of admissions, financial aid, and how to succeed in college.

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