<p>Here is how I would rank colleges: How much does the college contribute to the life-long welfare of its graduates (economic and otherwise, with the emphasis on the otherwise), and how well do those graduates through the lives that they live contribute to the well-being of the planet and its inhabitants?</p>
<p>Now, surely you will protest, there’s no way to measure that.</p>
<p>Exactly. Which is the reason that the whole college-ranking/rating idea is nonsense.</p>
<p>Poster 49 had it exactly right: what is best for each individual is an individual decision. Just because Harvard is ranked #1 by somebody using arbitrary criteria does not mean that it is #1 for everyone. For some people, it would be a terrible choice. For some students, taking into account their entire need set, Northern Illinois University may be a better choice than Harvard.</p>
<p>I realize this rains on all the parades of those with vested interests in upholding the honor of their prestigious universities. My answer to that is, buy an umbrella.</p>