How did U.S. News decide how much weight to give each indicator in its ranking formula?
Analysts at U.S. News have chosen the weights used in the ranking formula. Our views of the appropriate weights may differ from those of other higher-education experts. The weights were chosen based on years of reporting about education, on reviews of research about education, and after consultation with experts in higher education. Over time, we have placed greater weight on the “outcome” measures of quality (such as graduation rate) and de-emphasized the “input” measures (such as entering test scores and financial resources). This change is consistent with a growing emphasis by education experts on “outcomes” in assessing the performance of complex institutions such as colleges.
Analysts at U.S. News have chosen the weights used in the ranking formula. Our views of the appropriate weights may differ from those of other higher-education experts. The weights were chosen based on years of reporting about education, on reviews of research about education, and after consultation with experts in higher education. Over time, we have placed greater weight on the “outcome” measures of quality (such as graduation rate) and de-emphasized the “input” measures (such as entering test scores and financial resources). This change is consistent with a growing emphasis by education experts on “outcomes” in assessing the performance of complex institutions such as colleges.
