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NORC at the University Chicago

College Ranking Systems Assessment

2HNRR90 Students and tourists rest in lawn chairs in Harvard Yard, the open old heart of Harvard University campus
An in-depth methodological review of college ranking systems
  • Funder
    Vanderbilt University
  • Dates
    January 2024 – Ongoing

Problem

College rankings are popular but suffer from many methodological issues that are not well understood.

Prospective students and their families use college rankings to navigate their higher education options. Rising tuition and fees have made the college decision more fraught. Recently, the major college ranking providers have revised their methodologies to reflect costs and other considerations. These revisions raise important questions about the precise qualities the rankings aim to measure.

Solution

NORC conducted a methodological review of various college ranking systems.

Vanderbilt University asked NORC to produce a report evaluating the methodological validity of five major college ranking systems.

Drawing on well-established social scientific concepts like “construct validity,” the report identifies many issues in the conceptualization and construction of college ranking lists and offers methodological improvements that might address these shortcomings.

Result

NORC's findings may help students use college rankings more effectively and inform improvements to the rankings themselves.

The aim of this report is to inform consumers of these rankings—including college-going students, their parents, and college leaders—of the limitations of existing college ranking systems. Findings from this project will guide the development of improved systems for informing college-goers.

Project Leads

Data & Findings

College Ranking Systems: A Methodological Review

Project Report

This report provides a methodological review of five prominent college ranking systems.

View the Report

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