These days, it’s practically second nature to turn to the internet if you have a question regarding just about anything. It’s possible that the very first steps in your student’s college application process included a simple Google search: “Best colleges in the US.” The same sources tend to pop up in response to this question: U.S. News & World Report, The Princeton Review, and Niche are all sites that compile information about universities and rank them according to various criteria. But what does “best” really mean in this context?

Here’s a summary of how the aforementioned sources quantify their data. Keep an eye on your inbox for our next newsletter, in which we’ll explain SFC’s own methodology for determining the “best” schools, with a focus on Return On Investment (ROI) as a significant factor.

We recommend that you use these resources in conjunction with the personalized advice that your student receives from their SFC Advisors.

U.S. News and World Report:

The U.S. News and World Report gathers data from multiple sources, including surveys from college administrators, statistical data reported by colleges themselves, and other publicly available information. The ranking methodology considers factors like graduation and retention rates, faculty resources such as class size and faculty qualifications, student selectivity, financial resources, and alumni giving. Some of these methods include:

• The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a federal government body, uses a survey system called Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) to collect data from universities. The survey includes online reporting systems and surveys sent directly to institutions. While the information is self-reported, NCES then validates and verifies the data to maintain accuracy and reliability.
• The Common Data Set (CDS) is a standardized set of data points that colleges and universities provide to various publishers, including U.S. News & World Report. It is not a survey in and of itself; rather it is a list of criteria and definitions that schools are expected to follow with the goal of standardizing the data as much as possible.
  In its own polling, US News uses the CDS definitions for its data points. According to their website, “The one ranking factor in which U.S. News this year deviated from CDS standards was with SAT/ACT scores. For this edition, U.S. News instructed schools to report following the government’s definition of only including new entrants who submitted scores used toward admissions decisions.”

Because U.S. News follows the CDS standards, it’s easier to compare and contrast institutions based on the same criteria.

The Princeton Review

Overall, the Princeton Review’s ranking methodology prioritizes student input and aims to offer a student-centric perspective on the quality and character of different colleges. The ranking process involves collecting data from tens of thousands of current college students. The surveys ask students to rate their schools on multiple factors, and the results are used to compile rankings in various categories, such as academics, quality of life, and campus diversity. They believe that the opinions of current students offer valuable perspectives for those considering their higher education options.

The Princeton Review offers both rankings and ratings. Rankings are based almost entirely on student responses. Their ratings, in which institutions are assigned a numerical score, are based primarily on information reported by the schools’ administrators.

Niche

Niche ranks colleges and universities based on a variety of factors, including academic quality, campus amenities, and diversity. Their methodology involves analyzing data from sources such as the U.S. Department of Education, student and alumni surveys, and Niche’s own proprietary data. Each factor is weighted to reflect its importance in assessing overall college quality. Niche collects reviews and feedback from current students regarding various aspects of campus life, including academics, campus culture, extracurricular activities, and overall satisfaction.

At SFC, we believe that the “best” college for your student is the one where he/she will thrive, both academically and socially, as well as the college that won’t put your family into unmanageable debt. While these databases can be a good place to start your student’s college search, it’s important to remember that their rankings are based on impersonal statistics and generalized surveys.

Ultimately, you want to focus on your student’s competitive admissions position and your family’s personal budget, rather than only considering a school’s overall rank. Think about how your student and your family define “success,” and then look for schools that match that criteria.

In our next newsletter, SFC Founder and CEO Todd Fothergill will explain how to pinpoint your student’s competitive position at over 1,000 colleges and how that information can help you reduce the cost of college.