As humans who thrive on organizing and classifying information, we always have a choice for what to do next. In the Princeton Review's latest "366 Best Colleges" list, we see an example of more choices: in this case, students have answered questionnaires about their own college, and the Review is showing who "wins the tiara."
Which hopeful college student wouldn't appreciate a review on "Happiest Students," "Gay Community Accepted," "Students Pray on a Regular Basis," or "Best Campus Food?" Which alumnus doesn't gloat at the thought that their alma mater is a top ten? I checked my own campus on the alphabetized list: http://www.princetonreview.com/college/research/alphalist.asp (to see all the list results, you'll have to register).
As a business owner, I feel for the marketing offices of the colleges: those on the positive lists will probably want to highlight their work, while those on the "room for improvement" lists might loathe the whole idea of ranking.That said, if you, as a consumer, have a choice available, then, as in any situation, you'll want to research your options, make a decision and go with your best choice.
Some students might want to complete general education close by and then transfer to a new school after two years. Some students may move out of state, or out of the country for university education. Some students will want to take a few years off to work before attending college.
If you're sorting through your options, lists like the "366 Best" give you an idea of what students themselves say about their colleges. If you're sorting through a list of potential candidates and ranking them 1-10, you'll want to make sure that your chosen college matches your personality, interests, and ideals (it's just like picking clients or picking a partner).
My other suggestions for choosing a college include
1) understanding what you truly need from your higher education: listing your interests, kinds of classes you'll want, type of environment
2) visiting a campus and taking a course or two
3) speaking with current students
4) interviewing alumni and finding out what they studied
5) finding a role model or mentor and getting their opinion on colleges
More than half of students surveyed said they ultimately chose the college that was "the best fit" for them. Whichever choice you make (or made, if you've graduated), put a diamond tiara on that school and feel good about your selection!
http://www.princetonreview.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princeton_Review
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