College rankings are an easy way to compare schools on issues that are important to you — for example, which four-year colleges offer the best value for your education dollar? Or which schools have the most diverse student populations?

In the same way, rankings of top graduate schools in fields like engineering or business schools also can give you valuable clues about the kind of resources that are available to undergraduates enrolled at those universities.

College rankings won’t tell you everything you need to know about a college or university, but they can help you focus your search. Even more important, they can help you start thinking objectively about which schools offer the learning experience that can best meet your goals.

Check Out These College Rankings

• Each year, U.S. News and World Report collects data on more than 1,400 colleges and universities on a number of criteria related to academic excellence. See at-a-glance results organized by category of school, such as large national universities or liberal arts colleges.
• Since 2008, Forbes magazine has been publishing its own rankings, which focus on graduation rates, student satisfaction, and graduates’ average debt load.
  

Make the Rankings Work for You

Just because a college or university is ranked number one doesn’t mean that it’s automatically the right choice for you. Here are some tips to help you get the most from the rankings:

• Before you check the rankings, make your own list of things you want to know about different schools. Rank your list in the order of what’s most important to you. Chances are, the rankings won’t tell you everything, so remind yourself to check your list later to see what you still need to find out.
• Take a moment to browse the Web site to see how the rankings are organized and what comparisons are available.
• Compare what you learn from the rankings with what you learn from other sources, such as your school counselor, college access provider, or someone you know who has graduated from that school.
• Find and read the information on methodology so you know where the data came from and what exactly is being measured.