Adrianne is a Senior Admissions Counselor and TV/film director, producer, writer, and actress currently based in LA. She uses her experience in multiple disciplines to help students achieve their personal and academic goals.
If you know anything about college admissions in the U.S., you’re probably familiar with how colleges are ranked, especially the list released every year by the U.S. News & World Report. But do college rankings matter, and are they important to consider when building a college list?
Table of Contents
Introduction
Many students are familiar with college rankings long before they even start building their own college list. Schools like Ivy League colleges, MIT, and Stanford have such a strong academic reputation and prestige that students usually hear those names years before they start the application process, hence why they often end up as many students’ dream schools.
However, while these university rankings can be a good introduction to many schools, they usually shouldn’t ultimately determine which school is the best fit for a student. Finding a best-fit school isn’t a one-size-fits-all process, so it’s a good idea to build your own college rankings based on the preferences and qualities that you’re looking for in a school.
So, what role should university rankings play in students’ search for higher education institutions, if any? Let’s break it all down.
What Are College Rankings and How Are They Determined?
The most well-known list of top schools in America is released by the US News & World Report annually, which they’ve been doing since 1983. Now, outlets like the Princeton Review and the Financial Times have joined in the practice (although the latter specifically releases a ranking of both undergraduate and graduate business schools). There is no shortage of “Best Schools” lists out there, but they are not all created equal.
Curious how these ranking systems actually compare schools and the ranking methodology they use? Here is a full breakdown of how the US News & World Report scored their 2025 list, compared to the weight they gave each indicator in 2024:
| Indicator | 2025 Weight (With Usable SAT/ACT) | 2025 Weight (Without Usable SAT/ACT) | 2024 Weight |
| Graduation rates | 16% | 21% | 16% |
| First-year retention rates | 5% | 5% | 5% |
| Graduation rate performance | 10% | 10% | 10% |
| Pell graduation rates | 5.5% | 5.5% | 3% |
| Pell graduation performance | 5.5% | 5.5% | 3% |
| First-generation graduation rates | 0% | 0% | 2.5% |
| First-generation graduation rate performance | 0% | 0% | 2.5% |
| College grads earning more than a high school grad | 5% | 5% | 5% |
| Borrower debt | 5% | 5% | 5% |
| Peer assessment | 20% | 20% | 20% |
| Financial resources per student | 8% | 8% | 8% |
| Faculty salaries | 6% | 6% | 6% |
| Full-time faculty | 2% | 2% | 2% |
| Student-faculty ratio | 3% | 3% | 3% |
| Standardized tests | 5% | 0% | 5% |
| Citations per publication | 1.25% | 1.25% | 1.25% |
| Field-Weighted Citation Impact | 1.25% | 1.25% | 1.25% |
| Publication share in the Top 5% of Journals by CiteScore | 1% | 1% | 1% |
| Publication share in the Top 25% of Journals by CiteScore | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% |
| TOTAL | 100% | 100% | 100% |
Source: US News & World Report
The Pros of Considering College Rankings
As indicated above, university rankings consider many factors that will factor heavily into a student’s college experience, including the amount of debt incurred and student-faculty ratios. These ranking systems also focus on students’ job prospects after graduation, which is top of mind for many students and their parents as the job market becomes increasingly difficult.
These lists give students a window into the world of higher education institutions and a preview of the college admissions process. They can also give students a good idea of which schools have the lowest acceptance rates and therefore, require a more competitive profile for admission.
The Downsides of Relying Too Much on Rankings
If you’re solely relying on college rankings to build your college list, however, you’re not getting the full picture of what each school has to offer. While ranking formulas often factor in important data, they’re not always completely focused on comparing the college experience from the student perspective. For instance, take U.S. News & World Report — their formula may include critical metrics like graduation rates, faculty pay, and class sizes, but 20% of the ranking is based on peer assessment surveys, which only represent how other college officials rate a school’s reputation. That information isn’t necessarily concerned with the day-to-day student experience.
Critics argue this creates an inherent bias and reinforces prestige and wealth over real student outcomes. In fact, according to a Brookings Institution study, higher rankings often correlate more closely with endowment size than student support. That’s one reason why schools like Reed College and Columbia University have criticized the system and ultimately chose to no longer submit their data to the U.S. News & World Report for their annual rankings.
Rankings may also inaccurately skew prospective college students’ outlook on each school’s postgrad experience. Georgetown University study done in 2022 found that your college major and internship experience have a greater impact on earnings than the school’s rank.
What Matters More Than College Rankings?
When evaluating what truly influences your higher education experience and post-graduation success, several factors stand out beyond just a school’s ranking, including academic programs, campus culture, and affordability.
1. Academic Programs and Resources
The availability and quality of specific academic programs should be at the forefront of your college decision. Not all top-ranked schools offer strong programs in every discipline, so it’s critical to research the curricula, faculty, and resources available for your intended major. Look for schools with renowned professors, specialized research opportunities, and up-to-date facilities that align with your educational and career goals.
2. Campus Culture and Environment
The college environment can significantly affect your satisfaction and happiness. Each campus has a unique culture, and finding one that fits your personality and interests can make a world of difference. Consider factors like diversity, extracurricular activities, class sizes, and the overall student community. Visiting campuses and talking to current students can provide insights that rankings cannot. If you can’t make a campus visit, look into virtual tours on the admissions website, and check out our blog post about how to choose schools for your list if you’re not able to visit.
3. Financial Considerations
Your unique financial situation should outweigh the influence of rankings, so it’s important to analyze the cost of attendance and prioritize institutions that offer robust financial aid packages or scholarships. Consider not just tuition but also expenses like housing, books, and living costs. Your ideal school will balance affordability with quality education, since you don’t want to walk away with thousands of dollars of student debt if possible. You also want to look at schools that offer merit scholarships if you can, especially full-ride scholarships, and many top private schools on these lists only offer need-based financial aid. Don’t leave money on the table!
When Should You Consider College Rankings?
While college rankings should not be the sole factor in your decision-making process, there are certain situations where they can play a helpful role in your college research. As mentioned above, rankings can serve as a useful starting point when you’re just beginning to explore your options, since they offer a broad perspective on which institutions are recognized for excellence in various areas. If you’re unfamiliar with many colleges or don’t have any assistance from a counselor, rankings may help narrow down your list to a manageable number of schools worth further investigation.
For some students, especially those considering education in different states or countries, rankings can provide insights into a college’s national or international reputation. This can be particularly relevant if you plan to work in a field where the prestige of your institution might influence hiring decisions or if you intend to seek employment abroad.
Some rankings focus on specific academic programs, such as providing a list of the best pre-med or pre-law schools, providing a more targeted understanding of a school’s reputation in a particular field. If you are pursuing highly specialized studies, consulting these program-specific rankings can highlight institutions known for excellence in your area of interest. Plus, if you aim to attend graduate school, especially at a prestigious institution, attending a top undergraduate program can make you extra competitive when applying to law schools, medical schools, and other top graduate programs.
How to Research Colleges Beyond Rankings
Building a great college list is a multi-step process that requires time and in-depth college research. Ideally, students would be able to visit and tour every school on their list to get an in-depth look at the school’s offerings and campus culture, but seeing as that’s not always possible, you can still make the most of the resources admissions offices release online, including virtual tours and Zoom information sessions.
Dig into your desired department by researching faculty and professional opportunities, and see what current and former students have to say about their time at the school. Don’t let the “brand name” of a school sway you either — just because a school is well known does not mean it is the best fit for most students. Consider the school holistically, like admissions officers do when reading your college application, and investigate each facet of student and postgrad life for yourself. College research like this is crucial when it comes to actually receiving your college admission decisions, and if you’re thorough, you’ll be left with several options that will offer you the best college experience possible.
Conclusion
College and university rankings are just one step in the college admissions process, so you want to make sure your college research considers the facets of college life that will matter most to you!
If you’re looking for help building your college list or general guidance during the admissions process, don’t hesitate to set up a free consultation with one of our consultants today.
