You've been pacing the floor, eagerly awaiting U.S. News & World Report's "America's Best Colleges" issue to affirm your college decision, and now it's here in front of you. You gingerly turn the pages, scanning through the maze of numbers, only to exclaim in dismay, "Podunk University fell from #9 to #12? How can that be?!" Hopes dashed, you scrap Podunk from your list and start all over again, focusing on the schools that are sure bets to stay in the Top 10.

While this may be a somewhat exaggerated case of  

college rankings

  gone wrong (we hope!), higher-education consultant Paul Boyer doesn't think it's too outlandish. In fact, Boyer, author of College Rankings Exposed(tm): The Art of Getting a Quality Education in the 21st Century (Peterson's, 2003), thinks it may be time to scrap the college ranking system altogether. Here's why...

College rankings obscure our vision
"Rankings draw attention to a relatively small number of institutions, and send the message that there are only a few good schools," explains Boyer. This is unfortunate, he reasons, since there are hundreds of good schools out there. Plus, this way of thinking fosters an unhealthy, elitist view of college. "The impact of ranking extends more deeply into how America thinks about higher education. We've created a climate that focuses on prestige and selectivity as the most important thing," he contends. "I reject the notion that there are categories of colleges that are not as good as others. There are many paths to success."

College rankings are not entirely accurate
"It's an unstated assumption that rankings equal quality," claims Boyer, but colleges have learned to play the college ranking game. According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, many universities have made it part of their strategic plan to move up in the college rankings. But that's not how to improve the quality of teaching, assures Boyer. "It has more to do with publicity, marketing, stealing a few faculty, or starting a research institution," he reveals. "Colleges and universities have figured out that it's not that hard to manipulate data. It's not necessarily false reporting, but it's possible to tinker with course schedules to improve the student-teacher ratio. So even if you think you're seeing the truth, the numbers are being manipulated."

College rankings make us sweat
College rankings tend to produce higher levels of anxiety about the college admission process, when in fact, says Boyer, it's not that hard to get into college. "Only a small number of colleges are selective. Some of the best colleges accept 85 percent or more of students who apply," he affirms. "Seventy percent of students in the [Cooperative Institutional Research Program's] National Freshman Survey got into their first-choice school, and 22 percent got into their second choice. You have more power and options than you think you do."

An alternative
While it may be easier to play the numbers game than to enter into the messy and complex world of picking the right college for you, Boyer believes the effort is worthwhile. Instead of picking a college based on its college ranking, he recommends measuring schools against these five criteria of a quality education: 1) commitment to general education; 2) a commitment to writing, speaking, and critical-thinking skills; 3) a commitment to "active learning," like participation in hands-on research and writing projects; 4) opportunities to extend learning beyond the classroom; and 5) a diverse, intellectually active, and respectful community.

Because, he reminds, the goal isn't just to get into college--it's to succeed when you get there. "Undergraduate education should focus on preparing students for a lifetime of leadership," he asserts. "But there's no 'best college.' There are no winners and losers, as long as you're happy with your choice and you feel successful."

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