Which ranking system to follow ?

College Search & Lists
1

Guys i need help in determining which ranking system i should follow
us news or qs ?

2

Probably neither.

Each ranking formula includes different factors, so unless you know that those particular factors are important to you, in exactly the way that the formula uses them, then that ranking system is not going to be valid for your decision-making.

3

Why do you feel you need to “follow” a “system” devised for the sole purpose of generating annual publication sales?

4

^^^
You mean like consumer reports or cnet? You have to give them more than a question in response. What choice do most of these kids have other than using such data presented to them? It’s kind of hard for a high school student to make choices/decisions without having actually visited their institution of interest.

5

I doubt that anyone needs to know that Harvard and Stanford are excellent colleges. Does it matter whether one is ranked above or below the other in a particular list? An obsession with numerical rankings is a recipe for disappointment, since students will not take the trouble to identify colleges that suit them. Use the “SuperMatch” function, or provide more information about your own attributes. There’s no harm in looking at various rankings, but it is certainly unwise to decide that one college is better than another simply because the latest issue of some magazine ranked it two spots higher. What happens if you choose your college based on that difference, and then - Gadzooks! - they switch places the following year? If a college appears below a threshold you have set, would you rule it out despite it seeming to fit all other criteria? I find all of this rather foolish, especially because I have a son at a small, quirky college that ranks quite high on some lists, and low on others. It is because the college has a relatively high acceptance rate (over 50%), but its curriculum is not a good fit for everyone and its retention rate is low. It has a great graduate school admission record, but not very high average earnings for graduates (no Business or Engineering departments). It is always listed as a “Best Buy,” given its commitment to debt-free education and relatively low cost of attendance, but some lists do not accurately reveal the typical aid and scholarship awards. Perhaps some students and parents would prefer that their colleges remain well-kept secrets, in order to reduce the competition, while others want the brand prestige. Most students will not get into a “Top Twenty” college, regardless of the list they consult, and they should not be discouraged if their college is ranked 58, while a neighbor’s is ranked 49. That will play no role whatsoever in the quality of education they receive, or in their future success and happiness.

6

For every person here on CC that says to ignore the rankings, there seems to be one who religiously follow them. It’s kind of hard to know whether a college is better than another because you can’t repeat your education at two different colleges. It really bothers me when there are 2 completely different viewpoints without a way to prove which is right. :frowning:

7

Find a school that fits your scores/GPA that has your major and is located in the part of the country you like and is affordable. Read CC and see how many very qualified students are waitlisted at top universities.
Either ranking system will give you a ballpark idea of how good the school is. So will looking at the SAT averages.

8

You’ll find a correlation between the length of time on CC and (dis)trust of rankings. The majority of people who rely heavily on rankings are those who don’t know better.

My recommended method of making a college list:

  1. Sit down with your parents and have a discussion about finances. You need to know what you can and can’t afford. If you need schools with good financial or merit aid, that needs to be factored into account.

  2. Visit colleges in your area, even if you’re not that interested in those specific colleges. Visiting a variety of colleges will help you figure out what characteristics you do and don’t want in your college.

  3. Draw up a list of factors that you consider important. Do you want an urban campus or a rural one? A large university or a small liberal arts college? Is a big athletics scene important to you? Do you want a campus where everyone lives on campus or where most people commute? Do you want to be part of a thriving Greek scene or avoid one? Is a big LGBT or religious community important? Do you prefer single-sex or co-ed? There are many other things you may want to consider.

  4. After you have your list of factors, draw up a list of at least 30 or so schools that meet most of your criteria. CC is helpful at this point; [it has an excellent search engine](http://www.collegeconfidential.com/college_search/). College Board’s search tool is also helpful.

  5. Get as much information about your list as possible. Visit the colleges. Read books like the Fiske Guide or Insider’s Guide. Ask for info on CC. Attend information sessions in your area in the fall.

  6. Narrow your list down to about 6-10 colleges. Be sure it has at has at least one or two safeties you can afford and a good mix of matches (50/50 chance of admission) and reaches (admission possible but unlikely).