Academic quality should be the first factor, in how a list of reach-match-safety schools is generated. But then affordability quickly becomes important. And too many parents out there have such unrealistic expectations of fin aid. Also, specific fit: do you want rah-rah sports or a left-leaning campus (or both?) This also impacts size of school, LAC vs university. Location/climate are often overemphasized, which rules out great schools: Whitman, Kalamazoo, Hendrix, etc.
I fully agree with juillet in post #4, that there seems to be a cut-off. Not a specific ‘rank’ (say #101 or below on US News) but degrees from many lesser known colleges and directionals with low SAT ranges and first-year retention rates below maybe 60% will limit employment chances. And I agree with PrimeMeridian about the subjectivity in US News ‘peer assessment.’ Any movements in the polls come at a glacial pace.
(P.S. I am new and have not yet figured out how to do the ‘@user’ in blue ink as response, if anyone can help).