| This fall, as numerous college rankings hit the | | | | graduate schools and employers than poor ones. |
| bookstores, I was curious to find an answer to | | | | I set my bar high: an 85 percent freshman |
| the question: "What is an 'excellent school'?" after | | | | retention rate and a 65 percent six-year |
| a parent, prospective student or college recruiter | | | | graduation rate. I dislike the idea of using a |
| sifted through all of this material. | | | | six-year graduation rate, but there are legitimate |
| There has been debate among admissions | | | | reasons: leaves of absence, military or missionary |
| officers and college presidents over the value of | | | | service, cooperative educational opportunities |
| ranking one school over another based on | | | | (combine school and work) and interest in multiple |
| statistics, and those debates are valid-to a point. | | | | degree programs being examples. |
| The rankings mean little to the best of the best; | | | | In my kitchen table exercise, I found that 265 |
| Harvard, for example, will not lose applicants for | | | | four-year schools met my standard. Among the |
| being the #2 school. They mean little to quality | | | | nation's 262 Large Research Universities-these are |
| schools that charge little or no tuition, such as the | | | | the large public and private universities--104 |
| military service academies, flagship state | | | | schools met or exceeded the 85-65 standard, |
| universities and specialty institutions like Cooper | | | | including all of the top 72 in the rankings. Among |
| Union and Webb Institute. These schools will | | | | 266 National Liberal Arts Colleges, 105 met or |
| always fill their classes with excellent students, | | | | exceeded both numbers. There were also 37 |
| regardless of their ranking. | | | | regional universities and 8 baccalaureate colleges |
| Rankings could however, mean something to | | | | that met or bested both marks, as well as 11 |
| families that have to make a choice between | | | | specialty (fine arts, performing arts, engineering |
| similar regional or national schools that appear | | | | and business) schools. |
| below the best of the best, for instance a top | | | | By my standard, the list of "excellent" schools is |
| regional university versus an excellent national | | | | larger than some parents might think. It does |
| university that's listed in the top 100. They might | | | | include the most selective public and private |
| also help applicants make a choice between the | | | | institutions, but also 84 schools that admitted |
| flagship state university in their home state and | | | | more than 65% of their applicant pool for this |
| similar schools in other states that charge low | | | | year's entering class. But there is another side to |
| out-of-state tuition and room and board rates. | | | | this analysis: the verbal and math SATs. The |
| Being a Rutgers graduate from New Jersey, I'm | | | | higher the school ranked in U.S. News, the higher |
| especially sensitive to this; the University of | | | | the range of the scores. A combined 1,050 to |
| Delaware and West Virginia University have been | | | | 1,100 on the verbal and math SATs put most |
| popular destinations for Garden State residents | | | | applicants near the bottom quarter of the pool in |
| for decades. | | | | most of my excellent schools. Excellent grades |
| Rankings appear to mean a lot to the presidents | | | | might offset the test scores at all except the |
| of some schools; high rankings can convince | | | | best of the best, but it's best to prepare for the |
| trustees to increase their investments in facilities | | | | tests. |
| and scholarships to build-up the school's reputation. | | | | What could I conclude from this? |
| A boost from 75th to 50th means more to an | | | | The best of the best schools deserve the |
| up-and-coming national university than it does for | | | | accolades they receive, but there are other |
| a school that has a long-cemented international | | | | schools equally deserving of the same attention. |
| reputation. These ambitions are not necessarily | | | | Ask me to name names. Some might surprise |
| bad; a nation can never have enough quality | | | | you. |
| schools. | | | | Are these the only numbers a family should |
| I did my own "kitchen table exercise" with the | | | | consider? |
| most recent U.S. News college guide after sifting | | | | They're a start. If financial concerns are |
| through the published rankings. I set my own | | | | paramount, then ask about the average tuition |
| standard of excellence, based on the reported | | | | increases and student loan indebtedness for the |
| graduation and student retention rates. My | | | | recent graduating classes. Also ask about the |
| thought was that the best schools are the ones | | | | school's bond rating; it reflects the school's ability |
| that do the best to attract, retain and graduate | | | | to earn income and cover its costs, while keeping |
| their entering classes. | | | | tuition increases as low as possible. Both of these |
| Graduation and retention rates are not perfect, | | | | measures are important, because scholarships and |
| but they're the results by which admissions and | | | | grants do not always increase as tuition increases; |
| student services are best measured. An excellent | | | | you might have to make up the difference. |
| school has rigorous academics, but does all it can | | | | There are plenty of choices among excellent |
| to help their students succeed; it serves no one | | | | schools, but only you and your financial advisors |
| to make college an intense "boot camp" | | | | can determine your ability to pay for college. It |
| experience to whittle a class down to an elite few. | | | | might surprise you to find out which school is |
| High retention and graduation rates are more likely | | | | your best value. |
| to help attract alumni support and interest from | | | | |