How are California State University Schools Ranked?

Hi, everyone. I'm currently a junior in high school, and I've been looking at the California State University schools. However, I'm having a hard time understanding how they're ranked. Does anyone know what criteria are used to rank these schools and why some are ranked higher than others?

Rankings for universities typically take into account several factors but may weigh them differently depending on the ranking source. The common factors usually include academic quality, faculty resources, graduation and retention rates, peer assessment, financial resources, alumni giving rate, and student selectivity.

1. Academic Quality: This usually takes into account student satisfaction, class size, student-to-faculty ratio, and the number of full-time faculty.

2. Faculty Resources: This includes factors like faculty salary, the percentage of faculty with the highest degree in their fields, the student-faculty ratio, and class size.

3. Graduation and Retention Rates: How many students return after the first year and how many graduate within six years.

4. Peer Assessment: University presidents, provosts, and deans of admissions rate the academic quality of peer universities they're familiar with.

5. Financial Resources: How much the university spends per student on instruction, research, student services, etc.

6. Alumni Giving Rate: This is a proxy for student satisfaction; the theory is that people who had a good experience are more likely to give back.

7. Student Selectivity: Factors like the SAT/ACT scores of incoming students, the percentage of applicants admitted, and the percentage of admitted students who enroll.

However, remember that rankings are not the only factor to consider when choosing a college. You should think about factors such as the programs offered, location, size, student life, and costs along with the rankings. What matters most is finding a school that fits your individual needs and aspirations.

Meanwhile, keep in mind that the California State University system is test-blind, meaning they do not consider SAT or ACT scores for admissions. So, in this case, "student selectivity" would be based on factors like high school GPA, rigorous coursework, and other factors excluding standardized test scores. Ironically, this approach to admissions has made CSUs more accessible to a diverse range of students, thus improving the quality of education by providing a broad range of perspectives and experiences on campus.