<p>This morning on NBC's "The Today Show" they were announcing US New & World Report's College Rankings. They put up a graphic claiming to show the top schools, but it was only the top National Universities, with no mention of the top National Liberal Arts Colleges. This is irresponsible journalism and only serves to perpetuate the myth that you can get a first rate education only at a University. If you believe that the best education can be gained at an LAC, join me and write an email expressing your disappointment with their presentation of misleading information to:
<a href="mailto:Today@NBC.com">Today@NBC.com</a></p>
<p>There are liberal arts college ratings floating around out there. Not sure if US News & World has one, though. </p>
<p>If it makes you feel any better, you may have noticed that the ranking craze has led to a huge backlash of people insisting that the rankings are meaningless and add more superficiality to an already corrupt higher education system. So you’re not alone, although I haven’t heard this particular argument against them before.</p>
<p>
USNWR has two main rankings - National Universities Ranking and the [National</a> Liberal Arts Rankings](<a href=“http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/liberal-arts-rankings]National”>http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/liberal-arts-rankings). Wellesley is tied for fourth in the US in the latter for the past 2 years.</p>
<p>Interestingly, and back to the OP, NBC was taken to task by Wellesley for leaving them out in a recent broadcast (Middlebury was listed as 4, with no mention of the tie). The segment must have been produced by a Middlebury grad. [NBC</a> skips Wellesley in college rankings, apologizes](<a href=“http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/wellesley/2010/08/nbc_misses_wellesley_in_colleg.html]NBC”>http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/wellesley/2010/08/nbc_misses_wellesley_in_colleg.html)</p>