How did Ohio colleges, universities rank using U.S. News' new metrics? Here's a look

Sheridan Hendrix, Columbus Dispatch
Updated ·5 min read
A long staircase leads up to the University of Cincinnati (UC) Arts & Sciences Hall on Thursday, June 29, 2023, on UC campus in Cincinnati.
A long staircase leads up to the University of Cincinnati (UC) Arts & Sciences Hall on Thursday, June 29, 2023, on UC campus in Cincinnati.

Some universities flaunt them. Some academics despise them. And students and parents browse them to help determine what school might be right for them.

College rankings claim to know which schools are best, but U.S. News and World Report's annual assessment of schools has been the target of backlash over the last few years. The for-profit magazine published its 2024 rankings Monday of more than 1,500 four-year colleges and universities nationwide.

Critics say the rankings, which began in 1983 and have long been considered the gold standard, are biased toward selective private universities, are too easily manipulated by the schools themselves and fail to capture the breadth of a school's offerings.

Last fall, a number of universities, mostly prestigious law and medical schools like Yale and Harvard, announced they will refuse to participate. Columbia University, one of the few undergraduate schools to abstain, said in June that concern about the ranking's “outsized influence” in the undergraduate admissions process was a major factor in their decision.

“Rankings do not accurately capture the student experience or the priorities of the institution,” the university officials said in a statement, adding: "Much is lost in this approach."

Eric Gertler, U.S. News and World Report's executive chairman and CEO, has balked at the backlash, saying that "rankings should be one factor in that decision-making process."

"Students deserve to have a place where they can equitably compare schools to help determine which college is the best fit for them," Gertler said in a statement after Columbia's announcement.

U.S. News and World Report adjusted its methodology for ranking schools this year, increasing the weight of a school's success in graduating students from different backgrounds, and eliminating factors like alumni giving, faculty with terminal degree, class size and high school standing.

The new metrics did help boost the ratings of more than a dozen public universities make meaningful jumps on the list. Fresno State University, a Hispanic-serving institution in California, climbed 64 spots to No. 185 among national universities. Rutgers University made smaller but still notable jumps at each of its three campuses by at least 15 spots.

While some private universities slipped in the rankings because of the new algorithm, some things didn't change. Princeton University again claimed the No. 1 spot among national universities. M.I.T came in second, and Harvard and Stanford tied for third.

How did Ohio schools rank according to U.S. News and World Report?

None of Ohio's colleges and universities announced they would step out of the rankings.

A number of schools in Greater Cincinnati and around Ohio found a spot on one of U.S. News and World Report's lists, including best national universities, best national liberal arts colleges, best historically Black colleges and universities, and best regional universities in the Midwest.

Among Ohio's national universities, Ohio State University again landed a spot this year in the top 50 best national universities.

Ohio State shared the 43rd slot with two other universities: Boston University and Purdue University.

Here's how other Ohio colleges and universities ranked this year:

Are there other college rankings?

In response to U.S. News and World Report's annual best college rankings, a number of other publications have made their own lists. Each uses a slightly different methodology to curate their rankings.

The Wall Street Journal, for instance, assesses colleges using three main categories: student outcomes, the learning environment and diversity.

Washington Monthly focuses on a school's contribution to the public good in multiple categories. Niche, a school reviews and ratings website, surveys students for their satisfaction level.

Forbes ranks using only six factors: academic performance, alumni salary, debt, student satisfaction, on-time graduation rate, and American leaders (based on the website’s database of successful people, from billionaires and public servants).

The New York Times released its "Build Your Own College Ranking" tool earlier this year, where users can move variables like economic mobility, low net price, athletics, racial diversity and party scene on sliders to create their own best college list.

Sheridan Hendrix is a higher education reporter for The Columbus Dispatch. Sign up for Extra Credit, her education newsletter, here.

shendrix@dispatch.com

@sheridan120

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: How did Ohio colleges, universities rank in U.S. News & World Report?