Elevate Your Education: U.S. College Ranking List

There are thousands of top-notch colleges and universities that you can apply to in the U.S. But, have you ever wondered which are considered the best? While the best school for you depends on your own goals, interests, and strengths, there are ways to rank colleges and universities based on other important factors. Graduation and retention rates, academic reputation, student-faculty ratio, class size, and student selectivity are just a few of the categories that U.S. News & World Report uses to create a list of the best colleges in the U.S. each year. According to their scoring system, which includes 17 categories to determine academic excellence, the following schools make the cut: 

• Princeton University
    
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
    
• Harvard University (tied for #3)
   
• Stanford University (tied for #3)
   
• Yale University (tied for #3)
   
• University of Chicago
     
• Johns Hopkins University (tied for #7)
  
• University of Pennsylvania (tied for #7)
   
• California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
    
• Duke University  

You’ve probably heard of most, if not all, of the colleges listed above. They’ve each earned a great reputation for their academics and extracurricular activities, but they are all highly competitive and selective and not the best fit for every student.  

The good thing is that there are many other excellent colleges throughout the U.S. that are less challenging to get into. If you’re a good student, but maybe not at the top of your class, you should check out U.S. News & World Report’s list of A-Plus Schools for B Students. These are colleges that ranked in the Best Colleges list and accepted a significant number of high school students who didn’t have straight A’s. Here are the top ten schools that made the list: 

• Florida State University
   
• Baylor University
   
• Michigan State University
   
• Gonzaga University
   
• Marquette University
   
• University of Iowa
   
• Elon University
   
• Howard University
   
• University at Buffalo—SUNY
   
• University of Delaware 

These colleges offer a wide range of academic programs and extracurricular activities, and many of them are more affordable than some of the more prestigious colleges. But how do you know if one of these is right for you? Here are a few things to ask yourself when choosing where to apply: 

• Location: Do you want to stay close to home or go out-of-state?
   
• Cost: How much can you afford to pay for tuition, room and board, and other expenses?
    
• Size: Do you want to attend a small, medium, or large college?
    
• Academics: What are you interested in studying, and what kind of academic environment are you looking for?
    
• Extracurricular activities: What are your interests outside of academics? What kind of extracurricular opportunities are important to you?
    
• Campus life: What kind of experiences do you want on a college campus? Are you interested in attending a school known for its school spirit, or one with a calmer atmosphere? 

While there are many ways to rank the best colleges out there, the best one for you is the one that meets your individual needs and goals. Take time researching the schools that interest you and start narrowing down your list by answering the questions above. 

For more resources and information on preparing for college, visit the K12 College Prep Center.