Almost 40 years ago, U.S. News & World Report asked more than 1,300 college presidents to rate their peer institutions and published the results in its inaugural “Best Colleges” rankings.
The publication’s easy-to-digest hierarchy of undergraduate institutions — based solely on reputation — was an effort to best competitors Time and Newsweek.
It proved massively popular.
“Best Colleges” soon became a yearly feature and spawned a college rankings industry.
The influence of the U.S. News rankings is undeniable.
Universities tout their rank in press releases and campus brochures, and declare that they want to improve their positions in their strategic plans.
Current students and alumni check the rankings to see how their school fared, and high school students consult them to determine what colleges they should strive to get into.
“There is kind of a culture around rankings that is unhealthy,” said Brennan Barnard, director of college counseling at Khan Lab School.
Still, the rankings endure in popularity. (CNN)
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