USNWR: To what extent?

[annasdad]

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When picking a school in April, how much should I rely on USNWR?

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<p>Take it from the Dean of Admissions at Yale (<a href=“http://admissions.yale.edu/looking-beyond-college-rankings):%5B/url%5D”>http://admissions.yale.edu/looking-beyond-college-rankings):</a></p>

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Ranking lists do not provide very useful information for making decisions about where you should apply. Their main flaw is obvious but worth stating: rankings employ a one-size-fits-all approach to a highly personal decision. The particular characteristics that go into the ranking calculations often have very little to do with what will be important to your educational experience. … despite the greater importance and complexity of selecting a college, college rankings systems all take a far less thorough and scientific approach than Consumer Reports does when testing vacuum cleaners. … Rankings promote the notion that the college you attend signifies your place in the world. “I will be seen as ‘better’ if I attend a more highly-ranked school.” Rankings encourage students (and parents) to internalize the myth that where you go to college defines your value and determines your future success in life.

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<p>The whole article on the linked page is well worth reading.</p>