The news that Columbia University filed fraudulent data to rise in the U.S. News & World Report college rankings has again raised the question of what these rankings mean. Does anyone imagine that as Columbia “plunged” from No. 2 to No. 18 (as its ranking was reassessed by U.S. News on its own estimated data) that the Columbia students sitting in their classrooms in Upper Manhattan felt the quality of their education slipping away?
Columbia is exactly the same university at No. 18 as it was at No. 2. Nothing real in any student experience is different. Nor will it change if Columbia manages to claw its way back up. Is the University of Chicago (No. 6) a tiny bit better than University of Pennsylvania at No. 7? Or objectively 10 places superior to lowly Cornell, way down at No. 17? These rankings have zero to do with what is real about a college or university, and it is time to once again declare them bunk and encourage families, prospective college students and all media folks everywhere to ignore them.
Schools are not, in some holistic, abstract way, “better” or “worse.” They are different and serve different students. Some schools are wealthy and prestigious, and others are huge with diverse, niche programs or are small and focused on the liberal arts. Some may have emphases like study abroad or interdisciplinary majors, while others provide a strong sense of belonging for specific students (historically Black colleges or universities and Hispanic-serving institutions). These things can shape your experience, but does that make one objectively “better”? No question, schools such as the California Institute of Technology, which choose only 6.4% of applicants, can fill their classes with highly motivated, accomplished students. They have multibillion-dollar endowments and therefore some extraordinary facilities. But will every student thrive at Cal Tech, even if they are admitted? My own college, Wheaton College, is an excellent school. I believe strongly in the quality of the education we offer here. It also has a very specific mission of Christian education that would not work for every person.
