This article calls into question the supremacy of rankings and pulls the curtain back regarding some recent changes to the algorithm. When making a decision as complex as where to go to university, relying on a seemingly straightforward factor like a ranking can be tempting, but I’ve always encouraged students to realize that it’s much more important to think about what they actually want from the experience and what their priorities are. The large majority of college counselors that I have worked with over the years don’t use rankings and consider them to be a distraction that is too often the focal point for a family or the student. While rankings can be a tool included in the research process, I’ve always believed that nothing replaces the importance of time spent researching the school, talking to its students, visiting the campus, and the student asking themself, “Can I see myself at this school and succeeding?”
