Understanding how to evaluate fit—and build a college list around it—is one of the most important steps in learning how to apply to college successfully.

What Does College Fit Actually Mean, and How Is It Different From Just Picking a Prestigious School?

College fit is a concept that sounds simple but runs deep. It refers to how well a school aligns with your student across two fundamental dimensions: the academic experience and the social experience.

Sarah Farbman, senior admissions consultant at Great College Advice, draws the distinction clearly: “College fit is about the social experience and the academic experience for a student. You want both of those to feel good to your student when they end up going to a college.”

Prestige, by contrast, is an external measure based on rankings, selectivity, and brand recognition. And here is the uncomfortable truth that many families overlook: some of the most prestigious schools may actually provide a weaker undergraduate experience. As Sarah explains, “Some of the most prestigious schools aren’t going to offer you the best academic opportunities because in many cases they are large universities that do a lot with their graduate students. The graduate students may get more of the research opportunities and more of the professor’s time than the undergraduate students would get.”

Jamie Berger, highly acclaimed college admissions counselor and veteran admissions expert, is even more direct about the distinction. “There is no such thing as a top 20 school,” he states. “Fit is what we focus on.” At Great College Advice, the process begins with students completing a comprehensive criteria spreadsheet covering roughly 100 categories (from major preferences and campus size to location, internship access, and social environment) designed to identify schools that genuinely match what each student needs to thrive.

Why Should Families Prioritize Fit Over Prestige When Building a College List?

The case for fit over prestige is both practical and personal. Students have to be their best self. They have to be comfortable. They don’t want to be overwhelmed academically. They want to find their people and have opportunities to grow and connect with their professors. If they aren’t able to do that, they’re not going to be that successful, even if they have the right degree under their belt.

There is also a geographic reality that many families overlook. Prestigious names carry uneven weight across different regions and career fields. As Sarah notes, “Depending on where you live in the US, those prestigious names carry more or less weight. There are plenty of public state universities with dedicated alumni who are ready to help you. It doesn’t necessarily have to be the most prestigious school.”

A member of the Great College Advice community reinforces this: “Fit matters. Happy, motivated students do better and engage on a campus in ways that open up opportunities and networks.” He also reminds families that “a ‘dream’ college is not something a magazine assigns a ranking to—it is the school where your student will thrive.”

The Great College Advice Family Handbook encourages families to replace the language of “perfect fits” and “dream schools” with more realistic terms: “Instead of talking about ‘perfect fits’ and ‘dream schools,’ it is generally more helpful to talk about ‘compatibility’ and ‘preferences.’ The choice of colleges to apply to—and attend—entails some compromise. Most students may be able to satisfy most of their selection criteria, but very seldom can they maximize every single factor.”

That realism is not pessimism. It is the foundation for genuinely good outcomes.

How Can Families Evaluate Whether a College Is the Right Fit for Their Student?

Evaluating fit requires a structured, criteria-driven approach. At Great College Advice, counselors guide students through a comprehensive assessment covering approximately 100 categories, each rated on a scale from “must have” to “not interested at all.” These categories span:

• Academic factors (intended major strength, class sizes, research access), 
• Social factors (campus culture, student body, Greek life), 
• Geographic preferences (urban versus rural, climate, distance from home), 
• And financial considerations (merit aid availability, cost of attendance, overall value).

Financial criteria should be the starting point for all families, noting that even wealthy clients look for schools that may offer a significant discount. As one client explained, “Just because I can buy a Mercedes doesn’t mean that I will buy one.”

Campus visits are another essential tool for evaluating fit—but only when done strategically. Sarah recommends visiting when students are on campus: “It’s much better to visit during a weekday when classes are in session than on a weekend.” She also encourages families to begin informal visits as early as ninth grade, just to build a mental framework for what different campus environments look and feel like. For more guidance on making the most of campus visits, see Great College Advice’s ” Planning Your College Visit ” guide.

Jamie Berger highlights the importance of honest self-assessment in this process: “I haven’t met yet many young people who will be equally happy in freezing Ithaca, New York or the woods of Hanover, New Hampshire, who would also be happy in Morningside Heights, Manhattan or in Philadelphia. If you’re just choosing based on the fact that the stickers will look good on the back of your car—I’m the wrong person to work with.”

The bottom line: evaluating fit means matching real student preferences to real campus environments, not collecting brand names.

Does Choosing Fit Over Prestige Hurt My Student’s Career Prospects or Earning Potential?

This is the concern that keeps many families locked into prestige-driven thinking, and the answer, for the vast majority of career paths, is no.

A member of the Great College Advice community offers a clear-eyed assessment: “Success and opportunities are driven far more by the student than the school. Very few careers or sectors care where a person attended school, and those that do typically only for internships and job one. Students at the top of the class get more opportunities than other students, so going where you will excel is key.”

There are also significant financial advantages to a fit-focused approach. Schools where your student is a competitive applicant are far more likely to offer generous merit-based aid. Sarah explains the math: “If you’re looking for merit-based aid, the right college counselor could potentially help you save $20,000 or $30,000 per year. If you’re spending $10,000 upfront but this person is saving you $20,000 to $30,000 per year off the cost of college tuition times four, that is a significant ROI.”

Over four years, that can mean $80,000 to $120,000 in savings—money that can fund graduate school, eliminate student debt, or provide a post-college financial runway that a prestigious diploma simply cannot.

Regional alumni networks at well-matched schools can also be just as powerful for career development as elite national networks, especially when your student plans to build a career in a specific geographic area. A student who thrives academically and socially will graduate with stronger professor relationships, better internship experiences, and a more compelling professional story than one who merely survived a prestigious institution. For families weighing the financial dimensions of this decision, Great College Advice’s overview of whether expensive college tuition is worth it provides additional perspective.

How Do I Build a Balanced College List That Includes Both Aspirational and Realistic Options?

A balanced college list includes reach schools, target schools, and “likely” schools—and your student should be genuinely excited about options in every category.

At Great College Advice, counselors present families with 20 or more colleges divided into these three tiers, based on the student’s academic profile, test scores, and extracurricular accomplishments. 

Jamie stresses that the effort families put into the bottom and middle of the list matters just as much as the top: “Having happy likelies will lead to a happy outcome regardless.” He recommends aiming for roughly 12 schools on the final application list—enough to provide meaningful choice without overwhelming the student with supplemental essays.

The list-building process is iterative, and that is by design. Sarah describes the natural arc: “When I first meet a student, they are going to be more attracted to the sweatshirt college names and what they see and hear. Then we move on to where they start to be more thoughtful about what they really want to study, what classes they will actually be in, and how they will meet the friends they are going to have for their lifetimes.”

As students learn more about their own test scores, GPA trajectory, and evolving preferences, the list gets refined. This is healthy, not a failure of planning.

A member of the Great College Advice community offers perspective that every family should hear: “Any college where your child will blossom, enjoy a balanced lifestyle, and find their own way is a top school. There are about 4,000-plus institutions of higher learning in the United States, and most employ faculty who graduated from what are considered ‘top schools.’ There are so many hidden gems. It is sad that those are dismissed as inferior or not worth considering.”

What Role Does Merit Aid Play in the Fit-Versus-Prestige Decision?

Merit aid is one of the most powerful and most overlooked reasons to adopt a fit-focused college strategy.

Here is the key fact: many of the most prestigious schools (Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Princeton) do not offer merit-based scholarships at all. However, many excellent colleges and universities, both public and private, routinely offer $20,000 to $35,000 per year (or more!) off tuition to attract strong applicants.

Sarah explains the mechanics: “Merit-based aid is what we like to think of as a discount. It is a recruitment tool to attract strong students or the type of students a college wants to see on its campus. If you really are looking for that merit-based aid, the number one best thing you can do is to write the correct college list.”

This means that the college list itself is a financial strategy. Families who focus exclusively on the most selective schools leave significant money on the table. A well-crafted list that includes merit-generous institutions—schools where your student’s profile positions them in the top tier of applicants—can yield savings of $80,000 to $140,000 over four years.

We place financial criteria at the very top of the list-building process for a reason. Great College Advice counselors draw on years of experience and proprietary data to identify which institutions offer generous merit packages, ensuring each family’s list includes financially smart options alongside aspirational ones. For a deeper dive into how merit-based financial aid works, see our detailed guide.

How Can a College Admissions Consultant Help My Family Move Beyond Prestige-Driven Thinking?

An experienced college admissions consultant provides three things most families cannot access on their own: objective expertise, a national perspective on the admissions landscape, and a structured process for translating vague preferences into a data-informed college list.

Jamie Berger describes the philosophy: “I only accept clients who understand that the bottom of the list and the middle of the list are as important as those top three or four choices. Finding happy likelies is super important.”

The iterative nature of the counselor-student relationship is what makes the difference. Sarah explains: “When I first meet a student, they haven’t delved into the process yet and they are going to be more attracted to the sweatshirt college names. Then we move on to where they start to be more thoughtful about what they really want to study. Later, when we get close to the end of the process and know more about test scores and final GPA, we can be more realistic about what schools they can actually get into.”

The financial return can also be substantial. A well-crafted list targeting merit-generous institutions can yield annual savings of $20,000 to $30,000—a potential four-year ROI of $80,000 to $120,000. 

At Great College Advice, a boutique firm with six counselors and over 100 combined years of experience in college admissions, the process begins with comprehensive diagnostic assessments and a detailed criteria-building exercise. Counselors meet regularly with students—typically weekly over 30 or more weeks—helping them evolve from initial brand-driven preferences toward deep college-fit research.

Beyond the list itself, consultants provide guidance on how to apply to college strategically, covering essay development, demonstrated interest, interview preparation, and application review to ensure each student presents their strongest, most authentic candidacy at every school on their list.

Ready to start working with an admissions expert? Schedule a free consultation today.

The post What Is College Fit & Why It Matters More first appeared on Great College Advice.

Strategic timing of campus visits is one part of a comprehensive approach to the college admissions process, alongside decisions. Not all colleges offer tours and information sessions on weekends. For those that do, weekend visits are typically only offered during select months—usually September, October, March, or April. Plan ahead and book early, as popular tour dates fill quickly at competitive schools.

When Is the Best Time of Year to Visit a College Campus?

The ideal months for campus visits fall into two clear windows: 

1. Fall semester (September through early November) and
2. Spring semester (February through April). 

During these periods, classes are in full swing, clubs and organizations are active, and you can witness the authentic rhythm of student life that simply doesn’t exist during breaks or summer months.

Fall visits are particularly strategic for juniors beginning to build their college list. September and October allow you to see campuses at their most vibrant while still early enough in the academic year that admissions offices are welcoming and less overwhelmed by application season. Keep an eye out for special admissions events like “preview days” and “open houses” that many schools schedule during these months.

Spring visits in late March and April are ideal for admitted students attending accepted students’ days, and for sophomores beginning their exploratory campus research. Most colleges have a “visit” section on their admissions website with a calendar of dates and times to choose from.

“The most important thing is to be on campus when the student body is on campus. It’s much better to visit during a weekday when classes are in session. Avoid being there during spring break because you simply won’t get a feel for the student body.” — Sarah Myers, Senior Admissions Consultant, Great College Advice

Should I Visit Colleges During the Week or on Weekends?

Weekday visits are significantly more valuable than weekend visits. When classes are in session, you can observe the true academic culture of a school: 

• Students moving between lectures,
• Conversations in the dining hall about coursework 
• Campus events,
• The hum of activity in the library and study spaces. 

This day-to-day energy is impossible to replicate on a Saturday morning tour.

Morning visits are especially valuable. Sarah Myers, senior admissions consultant at Great College Advice, notes that “it’s better to go in the morning than in the afternoon because more classes are in session in the morning.” If you’re trying to visit two schools in one day, schedule the first tour for the morning and the second for early afternoon.

Pro Strategy: Arrive the evening before your scheduled tour and spend time in the surrounding town when students are out after classes. Stay overnight nearby, then attend the morning tour the next day. This gives you both the social atmosphere of the campus at night and the academic energy during the school day—a much more complete picture than a single mid-day tour.

If a weekday visit is genuinely impossible, a Saturday morning tour during peak visit months (September, October, or April) is the next best option. However, expect a quieter campus with fewer students visible, and understand that you’re seeing a partial version of the school’s personality.

What Grade Should Students Start Visiting Colleges?

The short answer: earlier than most families think. Campus visits can begin as early as eighth or ninth grade, though the purpose and depth of those visits should evolve as your student progresses through high school.

“I recommend that families start taking their students to visit colleges when they’re on a family trip, even when the student is a freshman or even an eighth grader. Spending even half an hour dropping by and walking around when your student is really young will create a context for what college is, so that as they get older, they can refer back to those early experiences of visiting campuses.” — Sarah Myers, Senior Admissions Consultant, Great College Advice

Here’s how to think about visits by grade level:

Freshman and Sophomore Year (Exploratory Visits)

These are casual, low-pressure opportunities to help your student begin understanding the landscape. Visit a large university and a small liberal arts college to see the contrast. Explore both urban and suburban campuses. The goal isn’t to pick schools—it’s to develop a frame of reference. As one parent in the Great College Advice community shared, “I took my rising sophomore and her two friends on two visits within a five-hour drive. It was eye-opening for them to hear it from ‘experts,’ and the subtle shift in responsibility and accountability has been noticeable.”

Junior Year (Strategic Visits)

 This is when visits become more targeted. Schedule official tours, attend information sessions, sit in on classes in your academic interest area, and begin meeting with admissions staff. Junior year visits should cover a range of schools on your developing list, from reaches to “likely” schools (the term admissions professionals now use instead of “safety” schools).

Senior Year (Strategic and Decision Visits)

 Find time to visit schools you plan on applying to in the fall. Focus on top-choice schools and admitted students’ days in the spring. These visits help you make your final enrollment decision with real, on-the-ground experience. For schools where you’ve been admitted, a post-acceptance visit is one of the most important steps before committing.

How Many Colleges Should I Visit in One Day, and How Do I Plan an Efficient Itinerary?

The Great College Advice Family Handbook is clear on this: do not schedule more than two visits in a single day. The handbook explains that “the most informative visits can be those in which you spend a full day or more on campus, from morning until well into the evening,” and that cramming in too many schools causes “your experiences on different campuses to start to blend together.”

For an efficient multi-school itinerary, pair campuses that are within an hour or two of each other. Sarah Myers recommends this approach: “A good way to do college visits is to arrive somewhere the evening before and spend time in the town. Then the next morning do a tour. If you can find schools that are within an hour or two of one another, there’s a good chance you could get to a 12 or 1 o’clock tour at a second school—and you’ll still catch students on campus at that second school.”

Campus Visit Planning Checklist (from the Great College Advice Family Handbook)

☐ Travel accommodations arranged (bus/plane, rental car, hotel)

☐ Sign up for school-sponsored information session and campus tour

☐ Sign up for an admissions interview, if offered 

☐ Register to sit in on a class 

☐ Set up meetings with faculty or staff (professors, coaches) 

☐ Arrange to see specific facilities (physics lab, performance spaces, art studio, sports facilities) 

☐ Schedule a campus overnight, if available

☐ Consult the campus events calendar for activities during your visit (performances, lectures, sporting events)

Taking detailed notes and photos during and after each visit is critical. Months later, you may not remember which library or dining hall belonged to which school. As the Family Handbook notes, “Many colleges like to ask about the visit on the college application, so details can be important.”

What Should Students Do During a Campus Visit to Get the Most Out of It?

The official tour and information session are just the starting point. The most valuable part of a campus visit is everything you do beyond the guided experience. Here’s what Great College Advice’s expert counselors recommend:

1. Explore independently. Sarah Myers encourages students to walk around campus on their own: “The student should go on their own and walk around campus without the parents. You’re usually completely welcome, it’s safe, and sometimes you’ll just blend in as another student. Sit on a bench or outside a building and be a quiet observer—do people watching, listen to what students are talking about.”
2. Eat in the dining hall. This is one of the best places to observe authentic student culture. Listen to what students discuss, see how they interact, and get a real sense of the social atmosphere.
3. Peek into academic buildings. Walk through the hallways of departments in your area of interest. See what students are doing in labs, study rooms, and common areas. This is absolutely okay to do and gives you a window into everyday academic life.
4. Explore the surrounding town. Myers emphasizes that “spending time in the surrounding town is important—to see what it would be like there, including understanding the prices of things.” The town is where students spend a significant amount of their time outside of classes, so it’s a key part of the college experience.
5. Assess mental health support. Sarah Myers, who has a background in mental health, recommends that families investigate counseling resources: “Are there long waits for an appointment with a counselor? Do they have a 24-hour phone line? How many mental health providers are on campus? Can you get medications on campus or do they have to be mailed somewhere else?” These practical details matter enormously for the reality of college life.
6. Follow up afterward. A thank-you note after a campus visit or interview is a powerful and often overlooked form of demonstrated interest. The Great College Advice Family Handbook notes that “sometimes the best demonstrated interest is through conversations that show the student is truly engaged in the process.”

What Common Mistakes Should Students Avoid During College Campus Visits?

Even well-intentioned families make avoidable mistakes that reduce the value of their campus visits. Here are the most common pitfalls, according to Great College Advice’s counselors:

1. Not taking it seriously enough.
2. Visiting when campus is empty. 
3. Cramming too many schools into one trip. 
4. Parents dominating the visit. 
5. Treating it as a “drive-by.” 
6. Forgetting to take notes. 

When parents and students both attend the tour, the Great College Advice team recommends a smart “divide and conquer” strategy: if more than one tour guide is available, split up so the student goes on one tour and the parents on the other, then compare notes over coffee afterward. Alternatively, while the student attends a class, parents can meet with someone in financial aid or student advising.

What If I Can’t Visit a College Campus in Person—Are Virtual Tours Worth It?

Virtual tours are a useful supplement, especially for international students or families for whom travel costs are prohibitive, but they are not a full replacement for an in-person visit. Many colleges offer interactive virtual tours, and some feature a virtual student guide walking you through campus.

“A lot of colleges have virtual tours that you can take, and some even have a virtual student leading you around. Those can fill in the gap when you’re an international student or can’t fly over to visit.” — Sarah Myers, Senior Admissions Consultant, Great College Advice

Beyond virtual tours, colleges frequently offer webinars, video meetings with faculty and department deans, and virtual panels with current students. To access these opportunities, Myers recommends getting on college mailing lists as early as possible: “If the school is very large, you might have a specific email list for the business school only or the engineering school only, and then you’ll be made aware when they have open meetings online.”

For students who cannot visit in person, veteran college admissions expert Jamie Berger advises making your interest known through other channels: “If your first choice is a school that you can’t visit, write them a letter so they know you’re not just applying to 30 schools blindly. Something short, though.” A campus visit is one of the most powerful ways to show demonstrated interest, but it’s not the only way.

One parent in the Great College Advice community shared creative alternatives their family used: “My child watched college tour episodes on streaming services, did the online tours from the school websites, and even used a virtual reality set to ‘walk around’ the campuses.” Other community members noted the value of visiting after being accepted—waiting to visit until you have admissions decisions can be a financially smart strategy for families on a budget.

Additional virtual research strategies include reading the campus newspaper online, watching broadcast sports games to gauge school spirit, and researching the percentage of in-state versus out-of-state students to understand the campus community.

Plan Your College Visits with an Expert by Your Side

At Great College Advice, our team of six expert counselors brings over 100 years of combined experience to help students and families navigate every step of the college admissions process—from strategic campus visit planning to crafting winning applications.

Whether you’re a sophomore beginning your college search or a senior making your final decision, our personalized guidance ensures you find schools where you’ll truly thrive. Learn more about how we can help your family on a complimentary call.

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These days, colleges need to offer a lot more to parents so they can keep up with what is happening at school. Some have daily email updates or you can check out the daily or weekly campus newspaper. Of course, all schools have an Instagram page. Also, most have an active parents Facebook group that you can join to ask and answer questions from other parents on all sorts of subjects like traveling to/from campus to local service recommendations.

However, one of the most fun ways is by attending what has long been called “Parents’ Weekend” or “Family Weekend” on your student’s college campus. Most colleges have a parents weekend where families can visit in the first few months of school to see how their student is adapting to life at college.

What to do at Family Weekend

In addition, while students used to spend their time on Parent’s Weekend carting their parents around to the obligatory football game, dinner in town, and tour of classrooms, colleges have wised up and have started offering options for family members that sound way more appealing.  A quick survey of various colleges’ family weekend agendas show activities such as: chocolate making, a ski bus to a local ski resort, wood, jewelry and ceramics workshops, Shabbat services, ice cream socials, art exhibits, theater, a cappella performances, academic panel discussions, and much more.
Sounds pretty fun right? I still recommend trying to squeeze in some time to actually see your student when you visit but definitely take advantage of these events the colleges have worked so hard to put together for you!

For parents of college freshmen, after months of agonizing about whether their children have chosen the perfect college or as we college counselors like to say, have found a “good fit”, the next few weekends provide parents a close up view of just how their child is doing.

Tips for parents weekend

• Don’t be upset if your child is too busy to spend the entire weekend with you. Busy is good!
• Offer to take your child to dinner off campus.
• Invite your child’s friends to join you. Students are thrilled to get out of the dining hall!
• Try and sit in on a class if you can get to campus by Friday.
• Attend a rah rah sports event.
• Remind your child that you’re proud of them!

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Educational Consultant

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And while the transition from high school to college itself can be hard enough for the average student. This transition can be especially difficult for students with learning challenges. College freshmen must cope with a relative lack of school structure, an overwhelming number of courses and options, and no daily “homework,” as was the norm in high school.

At Montgomery Educational Consulting, we focus not only on “getting in” to the right colleges. But we also care about setting up students–all students–for success once they arrive on campus. We do whatever it takes to ensure that students with learning differences find the right sorts of supports to ensure that reach their academic, personal, and professional goals.

Students with learning disabilities–and their families–must educate themselves about the additional concerns in choosing the right college. These additional steps in the transition from high school to college need not be overwhelming. They require both solid understanding of the issues, awareness of the services available at the post-secondary level, and a thorough self-assessment of the student’s needs and preferences.

To help you build your understanding and awareness. Montgomery Educational Consulting’s newest associate, Heather Creech, has created a 10 lesson “email course” for students and their families. Heather shares with you the myriad considerations in selecting an appropriate college for students with learning differences, including:

• Choosing the right location
• The types of programs available
• Why career goals are important
• Legal considerations
• Whether to divulge a learning difference on an application…and more!

Just enter your name and address below, and you’ll receive a confirmation email to verify your enrollment in this FREE email course.

Email Marketing You Can Trust

(And we respect your email privacy: we never sell or share your contact information with anyone.)

Heather will share with you her expertise as an educator with deep experience in helping students of all types make the transition to post-secondary education. Our collective hope is that this information will empower students to become better self-advocates, to better understand the range of options available to students with specific learning needs, and to ensure greater success as students make this transition to post-secondary education.

Mark Montgomery
Educational Consultant

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But with public, taxpayer support for higher education declining with the recession, families may have to recalculate their understanding of value.

An article in today’s Chronicle of Higher Education (subscription required) describes the cuts in student services that will have a detrimental impact on the student experience at public colleges and universities.  Of course, most institutions of higher ed want to protect these front-line services, because they know that such services help them to retain and support students through graduation.

But student-affairs divisions are still taking their share of cuts. As a result, she says, staff members are reporting concerns about negative effects on their campuses. They expect fewer face-to-face interactions with students, less progress on new projects, and slower response rates to students’ requests. Staff members also anticipate higher stress levels, increased workloads, and anxiety about further layoffs.

So what is a prospective student to do?  Inquire. Ask about cutbacks and layoffs.  Visit the student affairs office, the financial aid office, the freshman dean’s office.  Ask how the economic crunch has had an impact on that campus. Talk to other students and ask about how easy it is to get good academic advice, or how long the lines are at the financial aid office, or whether the clubs they belong to are getting sufficient financial support from the university.

The fact is that the economic crunch is having an impact on all campuses, public and private.  And it behooves savvy consumers of higher education services to know exactly how budget cuts will affect their educational experience.

Further, it may make sense, given the economy, to consider private colleges and universities.  While no college has gone through the economic downturn unscathed, some have been better able than others to protect student services budgets (as well as financial aid and faculty salaries).  After all, value is a function of both the quality of the service and the price, and you may find–as with so many other things in life–that you get what you pay for.

Educational Consultant

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These ranking bug me.  As an educational consultant, I am constantly having to explain that these rankings are at best imperfect measures of institutional quality and at worst amount to a completely misleading popularity contest.  Just today I am having to respond to a client’s whining that the universities I am suggesting are “too far down the league tables” (to which I might respond:  “so how come you didn’t think of that when you were preparing for your algebra final”).  My client doesn’t want to listen to any reasoned argument that the quality of education that an individual student received in the classroom has little or no bearing on the the league tables presented in US News.  Needless to say, it’s going to be an interesting day.

What has me looking up, however, is the fact that a former institutional researcher at Clemson gave a presentation at the Association of Institutional Research that revealed in great detail the strategies that Clemson administrators were using to lift Clemson in the US News rankings.  And the participants–other institutional researchers from other universities who also report data to US News–where shocked.  Shocked, I say.

You can read the article yourself:  Doug Lederer is a great writer and the article is balanced.

The funny thing (okay, well, it’s really not so hilarious–it’s more funny-peculiar) is that colleges and universities bash the ratings when they’re  down, and then post them on their websites anytime their name is mentioned favorably in those same rankings.

Everyone wants “proof” that the quality of their educational product is somehow good–better than their peers–more worthy of your consumer dollar.  Yet colleges and universities know that the measures developed by US News are flawed.  They know that they measure institutional inputs and not educational outcomes.  They know that statistics like student-to-faculty ratios are misleading.

Still, the college administrators slavishly report their data to the magazine editors–with or without manipulation or “influencing” the data.  They know it’s a stupid game, but they play it anyway.  And clearly Clemson has the rules down pat.

As Marcellus uttered in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, something is rotten–not in Denmark–but in American higher education.

I do understand this quest for some sort of evaluation system that will help us compare one college against the next so that we can make better decisions about which college is best for which kids.  But we don’t need US News & World Reports.  We need Consumer Reports.

Educational Consultant

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