When looking for a ranking of the top colleges in America, many parents, students and alumni have relied mainly on one source for the past three decades: U.S. News and World Report.
Now, college ranking is all the rage. There are numbered lists for every taste, each with a unique data-crunching formula. While U.S. News’ rankings reward wealth and prestige — long a matter of debate, with little variation among the top schools from year to year — new ranking schemes seek to define which schools offer the best outcomes for students, the best value, the best student experience. The proliferation of rankings could shake up higher education, influencing not just how consumers view the market but also how colleges position themselves in the competition for students and faculty.
