Early Wednesday morning, U.S. News and World Report released its 2016 list of best colleges, which ranks 1,800 schools based on academic excellence and reputation.
Leading the way this year was Princeton, Harvard and Yale for the third straight year.
But the rankings, despite their simplicity, have caused controversy among education experts, according to Time magazine. Some say the college rankings influence a college-bound students interest level, which can affect attendance rate a factor in the rankings, Time magazine reported.
Conversely, some schools have used the rankings to improve their academic reputation and move up in the list, Time reported. These schools will make it a part of their administrative plans to climb the list, which influences academics on those campuses, Time reported.
Students should know, though, that they shouldnt choose their college of choice because of this list. In fact, Brian Kelly, the editor and chief content officer of U.S. News, said that there are more factors that go into picking a college than just a ranking, Time reported.
To find the best fit, students should consider a range of factors, from financial aid offerings and location to campus size and majors, Kelly said, according to Time. The process can be overwhelming, but our rankings and advice content are a great place to start.
Leading the way this year was Princeton, Harvard and Yale for the third straight year.
But the rankings, despite their simplicity, have caused controversy among education experts, according to Time magazine. Some say the college rankings influence a college-bound students interest level, which can affect attendance rate a factor in the rankings, Time magazine reported.
Conversely, some schools have used the rankings to improve their academic reputation and move up in the list, Time reported. These schools will make it a part of their administrative plans to climb the list, which influences academics on those campuses, Time reported.
Students should know, though, that they shouldnt choose their college of choice because of this list. In fact, Brian Kelly, the editor and chief content officer of U.S. News, said that there are more factors that go into picking a college than just a ranking, Time reported.
To find the best fit, students should consider a range of factors, from financial aid offerings and location to campus size and majors, Kelly said, according to Time. The process can be overwhelming, but our rankings and advice content are a great place to start.
