v
T
wenty years ago, U.S. News & World Report gave students a new
way to pick a college. Its simple strategy was to measure a few key
factors--such as a college's reputation, selectivity, and financial
resources--then add the numbers and rank every institution accord-
ingly. Those at the top of the list became "America's Best Colleges."
With this information, students could "weigh schools against one an-
other and brave the rough seas of college admission," the newsmagazine
explained. So, now it was no longer necessary to rely on conventional
wisdom, glossy viewbooks, and brief campus tours to find a good
institution. Now students would know--really know--that they were
applying to the "number one" liberal arts college or the second best
university in the nation.
This kind of information proved irresistible. The annual college guide
became a bestseller and an indispensable resource for a growing number
of students. After two decades it now reigns as the unofficial kingmaker
of American higher education. Reputations literally rise or fall according
to its numbers, and no institution is immune from its influence.
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