“The rankings nourish the myth that the richest, most selective colleges have some corner on superior education; don’t adequately recognize public institutions that prioritize access and affordability; and do insufficient justice to the particular virtues of individual campuses.” …
Frank Bruni’s view.
http://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/why-college-rankings-are-a-joke/
They’re a good starting point. If you’ve never looked at colleges before, it’s helpful to have a vetted list of reputable schools that includes some indication of prestige.
I do agree that college rankings are a joke, but they’re a powerful joke. 
Bruni makes a strong argument and a lot of very valid points. Unfortunately, most people will ignore them and continue to be over-impressed by the usual suspects.
According to [this chart](Degree-granting postsecondary institutions, by control and level of institution: Selected years, 1949-50 through 2014-15), there were 701 public four-year colleges and 1584 private non-profit four-year colleges (total = 2285) in 2014-2015. US News ranks 310 national universities and 239 liberal arts colleges (total = 549). If UMBC is #159, they probably regard it pretty highly.
I am not sure what Bruni is trying to argue. UMBC should be ranked higher than 159?