Graduating from high school and looking for the “right” college to attend can be a difficult task for some students. College bound students with high-test scores and an excellent GPA generally want to attend an “Ivy League” or nationally ranked university. Most well-known colleges and universities are ranked on a national scale. Research and statistics for these rankings can come from several sources. Some of these sources may not be reliable. Students and parents have the daunting task of comparing colleges and deciding the best school for them.
College rankings are not based on specific credentials. There is no common ground for comparing one college or university with another. Various companies have taken statistical and reputation rankings from colleges and tried to provide students with information. College rankings have been a hot, debatable issue for years. Since there is no familiar ground when it comes to comparing the schools, questions have been raised about how accurate the information and rankings can be. Many universities including the high ranked ones are beginning to questions the data and methods used by various ranking services.
There are many companies or ranking services that claim to be able to provide college students with data and statistics that will help them select a highly ranked school to attend. College rankings are just one aspect of school selections. Other things that should be considered are subjects of interest (area of study), cost, location and teaching methods. When it comes to college rankings the research and statistical criteria must be spelled out for the reader so they know the methods used to create the ranking scores. What is important to one student may not be important to another, so the reader must know what methods were used in order to come up with the college rankings. Using an established, credible ranking service is important for students and graduates, by doing your own research you will be able to determine what school ranks the highest in your life. Choosing the right college will assist you tremendously in your future plans, so don’t take the decision lightly.
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