Best Advice: Give It Up

Link to August 27 Capital Times article, "Rankings rancor: UW-Madison gets pulled into college listings brouhaha".

Excerpt:

Current UW Provost Paul DeLuca does not put much scientific stock in the rankings, but knows their influence is nevertheless broad.

"There is just no way that any rating system, no matter how well-devised, can give an accurate and comprehensive picture of an institution," he says. "There is no way to capture the many significant differences from institution to institution. That said, we have to realize that these polls and rankings do exist, and that people do pay attention to them and use them when considering where they might go to school."

As for "giving it up", it won't happen.

From The Chronicles of Higher Education website archives, "What the Rankings Do for 'U.S. News'". (May 25, 2007)

The annual "America's Best Colleges" issue of U.S. News & World Report has long been referred to as the magazine's swimsuit issue. While the comparison is made in jest, in terms of newsstand sales the association with the popular Sports Illustrated cover is not far off.

Last year the U.S. News college issue was among 17 perennial "moneymakers," according to a list compiled by min: Media Industry Newsletter. Only one other U.S. News.... (Requires premium subscription for full access.)