And US News- using yield rates as a ranking factor is just plain wrong. A ‘news’ publication’s purpose is to report rather than influence. Yield rate as a factor drives yield rate protection. Yield rate protection influences colleges to reject students they would like to have because they might be too qualified (and not come) - drives Lack of confidence- which in turn causes nervous students to apply to more colleges to escape a shutout. All of this leads to more applications and - yes- lower admit rates.