Georgetown University ‘s ranking declined for the first time in two years in U.S. News and World Report’s annual college rankings, falling from 23rd to 25th. The 2005 version of America ‘s Best Colleges had Georgetown tied with the University of California – Los Angeles . Harvard and Princeton tied for first.
This edition marks the 17th consecutive year that the university has ranked among the top 25 national universities. While Georgetown’s overall ranking fell, the university was recognized for having one of the best study abroad programs in the United States and the nation’s third highest four year graduation rate at 90 percent.
While national rankings may be important to prospective students, experts say students should never base their higher education decisions on numbers alone.
“The rankings are only one measure of the university’s academic progress and success,” university spokeswoman Julie Bataille, said. “There’s very little fluctuation from year to year in the actual rankings of the schools. Our focus is on making sure the resources and opportunities are there for the students currently attending Georgetown .”
U.S. News and World Report employs a formula to compute its rankings which includes graduation rates, financial resources and alumni giving, among other factors. The most important factor is an assessment of peer institutions by college administrators. The average of this peer assessment score counts for 25 percent of a university’s overall rating. Georgetown received four out of a possible five points on the peer assessment.
Although the U.S. News guide claimed that the rankings “rate the strength of the undergraduate program at each undergraduate institution,” some students said they aren’t so sure.
According to Patrick Schmidt ( COL ’05), despite the fact that Georgetown has slipped in the rankings, there is no place he’d rather study.
“I’ve never taken much stock in those things,” he said. “To me a university needs to fit the student and Georgetown continues to be the place I want to study.” Other students said that they feel Georgetown should be ranked higher than it currently is. “I don’t see much difference between a school that is 20th and a school that is 10th,” said Patrick Falwell (SFS ’07).
In The Princeton Review’s recent guide to 357 top American colleges and universities, Georgetown is ranked as the 11th “Toughest to Get Into” and the fifth “Most Politically Active” campus in the country. Georgetown also placed fifth in the ” Great College Town ” category.
The Princeton Review uses student feedback at 357 institutions to compute its ratings for 64 categories ranging from on-campus social life to academic rigor.