US College Rankings: Concentrating on “Fit” over “Rank”
A lot is said about US College Rankings and if they are in fact relevant to the college search. As a representative for a small, comprehensive, liberal-arts based university in Connecticut, I am constantly encountered with questions about how the University of New Haven “ranks” against other schools. As you begin (or even conclude) your college search, it is important to concentrate on a different word than “rank” … That word is “fit”.
Photo by Geo Pollack
The school you visit may be the #1 school in a US College Ranking, but if it is in a location that doesn’t meet your needs, is way too big or way too small for your liking, or the faculty and students you meet after a couple visits don’t seem to be your “type” … you will not do well. The same goes for your major. Just because a program is “old” does not mean it is “good”. What groundbreaking research are the faculty doing? Do students get to assist with this research? What types of hands-on, experiential learning opportunities do students in your major get? There is something to be said about the numbers. US College Rankings give a good GENERAL idea of what type of student typically attends (average GPA/SAT scores), how financially viable the school is (endowment money, average aid package, etc.), and how students feel when they get there (retention rate, graduation rate) … but it is not the whole story. If you concentrate on going only to the schools that are “ranked” the highest, you are likely going to rule out a lot of great options that are simply not as friendly with those schools. For example, at the University of New Haven we have a lower than average 4-year graduation rate. The reason? Not because students cannot finish the program … but because our criminal justice and fire science majors take jobs in their sophomore year and finish their degree part-time over a longer period of time. There are also so many students that transfer to UNH that it impacts the overall average time it takes for students to complete their degrees. This is the case at MANY comprehensive universities out there. If you looked at a US College Ranking you would not know that … but it is just another thing to think about when you are looking at “rank” vs. “fit”. Did you know that a large percentage of what makes a school reach the top of a US College Ranking is the voting of peer colleges? That means that all of the presidents of all of the top schools always have a vote. Do you think they want to see their school go down the ladder? Of course not. That is why you will never see much movement at the top. Sure the top schools may trade off every few years … and one school here or there may inch up a few spots once in a while. But for the most part the US College Rankings stay exactly the same from year to year … while colleges, their majors, their specialities, and their cultures continue to change. The moral of the story? Don’t concentrate on the US College Rankings. Concentrate on “fit”. How do you feel when you set foot on that campus? How is it taking a tour? Can you see yourself in that classroom? Talking to those students in the quad? If you answer “yes” to THOSE questions, then that is a school you will most likely feel at home and find success.
