US News surely isn't the only ranking, it may not be the most through, but it is undoubtedly the ranking that drives applications to colleges and universities in the United States.

http://www.aera.net/Default.aspx?TabID=15326

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are indeed many rankings, there is, however, only one ranking that drives college apps an estimated 1% per ranking spot. Colleges know what that ranking is and are in tune with components of the composite ranking.

USNEWS matters, the other rankings do not. Is that "fair," "right" or "stupid?" Who knows? But it is the current reality.

Maybe in the US, but higher education has become a global commodity and the international rankings now matter a lot. They are quite different from US News which is designed to see how much schools approximate Harvard. Caltech is number 1 worldwide.

http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/world-university-rankings/2013-14/world-ranking

No it's not. Harvard is #1 internationally. US news rankings matter because they fit preconceptions, they look true.

Anonymous wrote:There are indeed many rankings, there is, however, only one ranking that drives college apps an estimated 1% per ranking spot. Colleges know what that ranking is and are in tune with components of the composite ranking.

USNEWS matters, the other rankings do not. Is that "fair," "right" or "stupid?" Who knows? But it is the current reality.

Maybe in the US, but higher education has become a global commodity and the international rankings now matter a lot. They are quite different from US News which is designed to see how much schools approximate Harvard. Caltech is number 1 worldwide.

http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/world-university-rankings/2013-14/world-ranking

There are indeed many rankings, there is, however, only one ranking that drives college apps an estimated 1% per ranking spot. Colleges know what that ranking is and are in tune with components of the composite ranking.

USNEWS matters, the other rankings do not. Is that "fair," "right" or "stupid?" Who knows? But it is the current reality.

Anonymous wrote:Sour grapes...sounds like people who ended up at UMD instead of something better.

Born in DC, raised in Silver Spring and Maryland alum... locally, we just say Maryland. No one refers to University of Maryland as UMD.

UMD ranked high in all if them. Of course the move to the big 10 will increase rankings even more!

Sour grapes...sounds like people who ended up at UMD instead of something better.

The times of London
Shanghai world rankings
QS world rankings

Are the most respected globally. Us news has a reputation of bias and sloppy methodology.

Anonymous wrote:Why do you suppose so many colleges seem to care about rankings? A lot.

Because rankings mean $$$$$$$$$$$$$. Colleges are big business baby.

Because students and families -- even many who will say they don't mean much -- still use them to help make their initial college lists. I don't know whether prospective faculty use them the same way.

I read a good article on a college web site that put it sort of like this -- the specific rankings of schools are meaningless, but to the extent rankings are a short hand way for a student to get a ballpark idea of what schools are matches, reaches, safeties, etc. because the rankings take into account (and report out) selectivity, median GPAs and test scores etc. -- even though that info is available elsewhere -- ballpark rankings make it quicker to get started. So evaluating number 2 and number 6 based on the rankings may be foolish, as is, perhaps, comparing number 17 and 25 -- but if you are new to the college world you get a quick sense that the schools that are treated as regional are very different than those that are national, and those in the top 10 are very different from those between 30-40 and again different from those between 60-80, etc.

Why do you suppose so many colleges seem to care about rankings? A lot.

Princeton Review.

Happiest colleges, best colleges for writers, colleges with the most students in sororities, party schools, best colleges for vets: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/college-rankings/

Yes, rankings are stupid unless it's for a program you're interest in (like the "best colleges for writers") above.

College rankings are stupid. Programs of study matter, not what some media outlet thinks based on some random criteria.

Other rankings to consider:

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/10/16/college-rankings-2013-daily-beast-guide-to-the-best-colleges.html


http://www.forbes.com/top-colleges/list/

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/college_guide/rankings_2013/national_university_rank.php

http://www.gallup.com/poll/9109/Harvard-Number-One-University-Eyes-Public.aspx

http://whatwilltheylearn.com/a-list