Although lists of ranked schools are produced by news sources such as US News & World Reports, Kiplinger, Forbes, and Times Higher Education, ranking lists can be subjective. To understand college ranking lists, you must start by researching the criteria that are being considered. Here are some top components that can determine a school’s ranking:
Undergraduate academic reputation - a survey of college and high school counselors
Retention - freshman year retention and four-year graduation rates
Faculty resources - class size, number of full-time faculty, student:faculty ratio, etc.
Student selectivity - acceptance rate, incoming student GPA, standardized test scores
Financial resources - average spend per student on research and student services
Alumni giving rate - participation of alumni contributions
Student debt rate - survey of students’ post-graduation debt
Post-graduation success - alumni salaries and career outcomes