The Princeton Review. US News and World Report. Forbes. The Washington Monthly.
Do these names sound familiar? Each is an organization that ranks colleges and universities across the nation based on a variety of different criteria and statistics.
The organizations often publish an annual report, which is turned to by high school students and parents everywhere.
Together, they comb through the pages, hoping for a glimpse of guidance as to what institute of higher education is right for them.
I’m not sure where Edinboro stands on the most recent reports. And I’m not sure I even used one of the reports when I decided to transfer here from a private college in Massachusetts.
College and university rankings can tell you everything you think you need to know about higher academia.
Class sizes. Enrollment and retention rates. Job placement after graduation. Tuition costs. Safety issues. The list goes on and on.
But I’m not sure those rankings are always the right way to make a decision.
While most reports would not compare a private college in Massachusetts to a state university in Pennsylvania, I find it important to do so.
Four years ago, the private college I attended probably looked better on paper than Edinboro.
I know for a fact that it scored highly on many reports, and have heard it referred to as the “Ivy League” of communication and arts colleges.
Yes, I did follow some of the reports when choosing that private college.
But now, as I prepare to graduate from Edinboro, I realize that prestige and high rankings have a lot less to do with the quality of a college or university than most people think.
I’m not saying that Edinboro isn’t prestigious. It is growing in ranks among the PASSHE institutions and other state institutions across the country. It is also being recognized for advancement in academics and many other areas.
As I look back, I realize that Edinboro has done more as an institution each year than what I ever saw happen at my private college.
Buildings have been demolished and built, and there are plans for more campus improvements to take place in the future.
Students have showcased their work at the newly implemented research symposium. The university just received its largest ever monetary donation.
Fighting Scots athletics teams have earned conference and national titles. Green initiatives are taking place all across campus.
Academic programs are expanding, with partnerships being created throughout the world. And enrollment is growing at an impressive rate.
After three years here, I realize just how many great things are happening at Edinboro.
And I can’t seem to remember much greatness that occurred at my private college.
While college ranking and reports seemed to be important four years ago, and while that private college seemed to be perfect on paper, both couldn’t have been more wrong.
Edinboro does look good on paper. But its rankings are not what made me decide to come here. I’m glad I broke free from the reports and statistics, and chose this institution for what it really is: a great place.
I’m proud to be a Fighting Scot, and proud to have called Edinboro my home for the past three years.
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