The prestigious Annapolis Group of national liberal arts colleges, McDaniel College among them, has taken a stand against the U.S. News and World Report rankings. President Joan Develin Coley was among the majority of Annapolis Group college presidents at the annual meeting June 19 who agreed not to participate in the rankings.

“We’re trying to draw attention to the fact that rankings are not the best way for students to choose a college,” Coley said, explaining that McDaniel and the other colleges will still appear in the rankings since most of the data is public information.

However, college presidents are asked to rate the academic reputations of colleges in their category, and this rating counts as 25 percent of the score that ranks a college. By contrast, an important factor such as student-faculty ratio counts as only 1 percent of the score.

Coley, with a majority of the 80 Annapolis Group college presidents at the June meeting, signed a letter of their intent not to respond to the academic reputation survey and to begin the process of finding a more reliable and meaningful source to help students and their parents in the college-search process. Among the presidents who signed the letter are those representing Dickinson, Kenyon, Lafayette, St. John’s and Ursinus.

“Rankings can be misleading – and certainly don’t give students the information and experience they need to make the life-changing decision of where to go to college,” Coley said. “Students need to visit colleges and see if they find a good fit. They should talk with current students and professors, and explore academic programs.”

While no guide should replace campus visits, Coley said that “Colleges That Change Lives” reveals a more realistic and significant picture of the college experience than rankings can offer – and is a much better source in the college search process.

McDaniel is one of only 40 colleges recognized by former New York Times education editor Loren Pope in “Colleges That Change Lives.” Now in its third edition, Pope’s college guide offers prospective students and their parents information about the 40 colleges and how these colleges truly make a difference in the lives of their graduates.

For more information about The Annapolis Group’s formal endorsement of a plan to find an alternative source to help in the college-selection process, go to http://www.collegenews.org/x7131.xml

For more information about the movement among colleges and universities to look beyond rankings and show prospective students more reliable and meaningful ways to choose a college, go to
http://www.educationconservancy.org/

For more information about “Colleges That Change Lives,” visit http://www.ctcl.com/.