What factors influence college rankings?

I've noticed a lot of focus on college rankings when choosing where to apply. But I'm wondering, what are the main factors that affect these rankings, and should they play a big role in my college decision process?

In determining college rankings, several key factors are typically considered:

1. Academic reputation: The prestige and reputation of a university often carry significant weight. This can be gauged through surveys of academic peers and high school guidance counselors.

2. Student Retention Rates: This includes the freshman retention rate and the six-year graduation rate. High rates usually suggest students are satisfied with their academic experience.

3. Faculty Resources: This includes factors like the student-faculty ratio, faculty salary, and the percentage of faculty holding the highest degree in their fields.

4. Student Selectivity: Admission test scores, high school class standing of incoming freshmen, and the acceptance rate of the school are also considered.

5. Financial Resources: Endowment size and the amount a school spends on each student for instruction can affect its ranking.

6. Graduation Rate Performance: Some rankings assess the difference between the predicted graduation rate and the actual graduation rate.

7. Alumni Giving Rate: This indicates satisfaction among a school's graduates.

While ratings are a useful tool for initial college research and for comparing schools on these broad factors, they should not be the sole determiner in your college decision process. Your fit with the college's culture, location, and specific programs are arguably more important factors. For instance, even if a college ranks highly overall, it might not have a strong program in your area of interest.

Remember, college is a very individual experience and what works best for one person might not work as well for another. It can still be helpful to consider college rankings to get a sense of a school's strengths and weaknesses, but they definitely shouldn't be the only factor in your decision.