The U.S.News & World Report
rankings of America's
Best Colleges are officially out.
Williams is #1! (of liberal
arts colleges. Yes, my alma mater.
As though Harvard and Princeton
REALLY matter).
Among
the
biggest news items is that US
News
changed its formula for "student
selectivity". Half of that formula (and
7.5% of a school's total ranking) is comprised
of board scores, either the SAT
Critical Reading
and Math score or the ACT Composite
score. In previous years, to
calculate scores, US News used whichever test
comprised the majority of a
school's submitted scores. That both sets
of scores are now included is a
great move. Principally, it makes the
data more complete and more
accurate. Secondly, it reflects the
reality that the ACT has earned its
well-deserved seat at the admissions table as a
fully accepted alternative to
the SAT for college admissions. The ACT
is not for everyone, just as some
students don't put their best foot forward on
the SAT. But, for students
(or parents) worried that the ACT is somehow a
lesser test or that colleges
won't accept it, this update to US
News
is further proof that those concerns are
unfounded. Students can and
should confidently take whichever test allows
them to do their best.
