College and University Rankings: More Like a Puzzle Piece Than a Road Map

For prospective and transfer students, the most nerve-racking decision is often choosing the right school to attend. There are a number of questions that arise during the decision-making process: How affordable is the tuition? Are financial aid and scholarships available? Which degree programs and courses does the university offer? Are the mission and values in line with my personal values?

When students consider options for universities, they may use annual college rankings lists to help them find the right institution. While these rankings can be helpful, they more often provide just one piece of the puzzle, rather than a one-size-fits-all map of what’s right for students and their needs.

Because many rankings assign numerical positions to different institutions, they imply that one university it is objectively “better” than another. In reality each set of rankings considers only a relatively small number of criteria, none of which take into consideration the needs of individual students. The factors that make a school a great fit for one student do not, and cannot, apply to everyone. Although lists of college and university rankings deliver information about schools that is digestible and concise, their scope is limited and can’t take individual student criteria into account.

Too Much Value and Emphasis Placed on Exclusivity

Some college rankings assign higher value  to universities that appear more “selective” and boast lower acceptance rates. This can lead to income inequality among students who attend or would like to attend the higher-ranking universities. In turn, some universities that receive these rankings may use the findings as a reason to increase tuition rates, which perpetuates the cycle of income-based exclusion.

Bias Toward Traditional University Structure

The first widely known college rankings were published in the 1980s, some 20 years before online higher education started to gain traction. Some criteria for ranking universities have neglected to include nontraditional university structures and the student populations they serve. In fact, accredited online universities are critical for nontraditional students who have full-time careers, families, and military experience. They offer a different set of strengths from brick-and-mortar universities and deliver a specific set of value-added services to non-traditional students such as flexibility and affordability, yet they’re evaluated in accordance with the same criteria.

In addition, too often important considerations including cost transparency and guarantees, accessibility of student support services, and measurements of student success against both academic and professional outcomes are excluded entirely. This leads to an inaccurate assessment of the value of online universities.

Choosing a College or University is a Personal Decision

Choosing a college or university should be a personal process  based on how the university’s available programs and courses, mission, and beliefs align with an individual’s academic goals, personal values, and circumstances. A list of the “best” colleges and universities can be helpful when making comparisons, but it is better to use them for consideration rather than a deciding factor.

While these rankings can be meaningful and useful to an extent, they often miss the opportunity to showcase the goals, ideals, and unique attributes of each university. Just like each of its students, every college and university has qualities unlike any other.