In an earlier post - US News America's Best Colleges 2008 - 8 Questions in Need of Answers I listed up 8 questions that were passed around to the business writers of the KnowMoreMedia network.
I'd like to take a stab at the questions one by one. Perhaps readers and visitors will share their answers.
# 2 - What effect do the US News college rankings have on the business of education?
Higher education is big business. Make that huge, giant, enormous...okay ginormous business.
What are there, some
3000 universities/colleges in the United States all competing for students?
Don't more students = more money?
Doesn't a higher ranking = more/better students?
Or is it more and better students resulting in a higher ranking?
Do the college rankings have an effect on the business of education?
They do only in the same way that CNNSI's power rankings have an effect on who you are going to watch play this weekend. The rankings create a buzz...something to talk about, a way to keep the school's name in the news.
Fans will show up to watch the home team if they can get a ticket.
Students will go to the school nearest them if they can get in.
Fans will talk about how their team is better than your team.
Students will do the same about their schools.
Rankings are buzz...that's it. Something for faculty members at institutions to pout or gloat over, for students to fight and argue about and then drink to.
But, in the end...they make no difference to the bottom line.
What do you think?
But then again...I may be wrong. My instant news reader just sent me a link -
the schools are already starting to toot their horns -
Lawrence University Cited Among Nation's Best in U.S. News' Annual College Guide
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