Survey Says Harvard #1, Again

Harvard is the number one college nationwide for the fifth year in a row, according to the annual U.S. News & World Report survey released this month.

In the "1995 America's Best Colleges" poll, Princeton and Yale ranked second and third respectively.

But Harvard administrators said yesterday that college rankings should not be overemphasized.

"The quality of Harvard speaks for itself," said Harvard News and Public Affairs director Joe Wrinn. "We don't wish to comment on any specific survey."

Wrinn said prospective students should look beyond arbitrary college rankings when choosing schools.

"I would hope they come to Harvard because it fills their individual needs and goals, not because it was ranked high in a survey of any kind," he said.

But Bob Morse, director of research for "America's Best Colleges," said surveys are more useful in broadly placing colleges into different tiers than in distinguishing between similarly ranked schools.

"We think it is worth giving the score so people can be smart enough to see there isn't that much difference [between schools ranked close to each other]," Morse said. "But there is a difference between 100 and 85."

Morse emphasized, however, that rank lists are only "one tool" for selecting colleges.

"I think some people take them too seriously," he said.

Most students at Harvard said the survey was not a significant factor when choosing colleges.

"Since I applied to Harvard because of the liberal arts program the rank is of no concern of mine," Alexandra Trias '96 said. "It's part of the whole Harvard myth."

But one student, Alana McMahon '96, said she still has some interest in the college rank list. "I can tell all my friends at Yale that when I go home," she said.

Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid William R. Fitzsimmons '67 said information about colleges can be very helpful to parents, students, and counselors, "but precise rank is a good deal less important."

"A student who can get in a top institution might in fact be better served by one with a lower rank, even a considerably lower rank," Fitzsimmons said.

And even a significant drop in rank-such as Cornell's fall from 10 to 15 in this year's survey--does not make "any significant difference in the long-run," he said.

"I don't think a sophisticated reader will make a lot of a few places or twenty or thirty places," Fitzsimmons said.

Administrators from other Ivy League schools said they also have doubts about the validity of college rank lists, including the U.S. News survey.

Director of Public Affairs and Special Assistant to the President at Yale Gary Fryer said the academic community takes the yearly survey "with a grain of salt, and a rather large grain at that."

Press Officer for Princeton University Jackie Savani said the gap between differently ranked colleges is often minimal.

For example Yale earned only .2 points less than Princeton, Savani said.

And the arbitrary scoring system ignores qualitative differences among colleges, Savani added.

"Harvard may be the best school in the country, but it is obviously not the best school for every individual," she said.

In determining the rank, U.S. News considers several factors including SAT scores, admission rates, and alumni satisfaction

"A student who can get in a top institution might in fact be better served by one with a lower rank, even a considerably lower rank," Fitzsimmons said.

And even a significant drop in rank-such as Cornell's fall from 10 to 15 in this year's survey--does not make "any significant difference in the long-run," he said.

"I don't think a sophisticated reader will make a lot of a few places or twenty or thirty places," Fitzsimmons said.

Administrators from other Ivy League schools said they also have doubts about the validity of college rank lists, including the U.S. News survey.

Director of Public Affairs and Special Assistant to the President at Yale Gary Fryer said the academic community takes the yearly survey "with a grain of salt, and a rather large grain at that."

Press Officer for Princeton University Jackie Savani said the gap between differently ranked colleges is often minimal.

For example Yale earned only .2 points less than Princeton, Savani said.

And the arbitrary scoring system ignores qualitative differences among colleges, Savani added.

"Harvard may be the best school in the country, but it is obviously not the best school for every individual," she said.

In determining the rank, U.S. News considers several factors including SAT scores, admission rates, and alumni satisfaction