# College rankings still shape higher education despite flaws

> U.S. News college rankings influence decisions even with criticism
- Title: College rankings still shape higher education despite flaws
- Summary: U.S. News college rankings influence decisions even with criticism Rankings impact school choices but also drive schools to focus on metrics over education…
- Keywords: us news, college rankings, higher education, college admissions, graduation rates, student retention, university rankings, college reputation, financial resources, peer assessment, science, ideas
- Source: The Conversation — https://theconversation.com/college-rankings-like-those-of-us-news-and-world-report-remain-influential-despite-their-many-flaws-and-decades-of-criticism-292649
- Author: Austin Sarat
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: us news, college rankings, higher education, college admissions, graduation rates, student retention, university rankings, college reputation, financial resources, peer assessment, science, ideas
## Rankings assign wealth-based scores
Critics say college rankings correlate more with school wealth than academic quality.

> College rankings assign schools numbers that may correspond more closely with their wealth than other factors of quality
## 2026 rankings reveal shifts
MIT topped national universities, Williams College led liberal arts colleges, and Princeton dropped from research university top spot.
## Rankings impact school decisions
Low rankings can lead schools to accept more applicants but see lower quality entering classes.

> a low ranking can lead a school to accept a greater percentage of its applicants
## Historical rankings began early
Kendric Babcock created university tiers in 1911, and Edwin Embree ranked institutions in 1935.
## U.S. News rankings launched in 1983
The first U.S. News rankings were released in 1983 following a national education report.
## Rankings face criticism
Critics argue rankings prioritize money over learning and ignore critical thinking development.

> the most important element in the college experience is largely ignored the learning process that occurs over four years
## Schools stop sharing data
Columbia University and Reed College stopped providing U.S. News data to avoid ranking impacts.

> Columbia University stopped giving some data that U.S. News needs
## Rankings drive institutional change
U.S. News focuses on measurable metrics like retention and graduation rates to improve transparency.

> U.S. News has focused more on quantitative measures that allow clear institutional comparisons
## Key takeaway

Rankings impact school choices but also drive schools to focus on metrics over education quality