College Rankings Exposed

Journal of College Admission, Summer 2004 by Couillard, Darren

College Rankings Exposed by Paul Bayer (2003) Peterson's (Lawrenceville, NJ), 2003 $24.9.5 retail, 235 pages, hardcover

Paul Boyer's latest book, College Rankings Exposed, is surprisingly much more expansive in its scope than the title and jacket suggest. At a glance, the basic premise seems to be that college rankings, particularly those used most widely, as found in US News & World Report, are neither substantially informative nor useful for most students' purposes. Boyer goes beyond giving a simple critique of college-rankings utility and, through most of the book, instead develops a thoughtful theory of the purpose and structure of higher education. The ensuing critique and recommendations for students and parents are built atop this theory. Fortunately, he sensibly builds both arguments, so that even a parent, student or professional, lukewarm to Boyer's theory, can still obtain useful ideas from the rest of the book.

The more theoretical parts are based on Buyer's observations of higher education as a student, educator and scholar of higher education, as well as those of his father, the late Earnest Boyer. The author argues that we live in a world affected by fast-paced change, increasing demand for access to higher education and an increasing emphasis, from students and parents, on the link between higher education and vocational success. Schools that best adapt to these realities, through providing what Boyer calls a curriculum of "practical liberal arts," are those that are most effective in producing students able to do well in the 21st century workplace, as well as serve our civic institutions as citizens.

Boyer provides a set of five criteria to prospective students and their parent as a basis for selecting the right school to attend as an undergraduate. The five criteria, as listed on page 107, are:

1. A commitment to general education from freshman to senior year.

2. A commitment to writing, speaking and critical thinking skills for all students in all classes.

3. A commitment to active learning.

4. Opportunities to extend learning beyond the classroom.

5. A diverse, intellectually-active and respectful community.

The author then gives extensive explanations of each statement, as well as a series of helpful questions, concerning these premises, for the prospective student to ask the schools they are investigating, for example, "Does the college or university offer freshman-year seminars?" Following each question is an explanation of what the prospective student can discover about the school. These explanations also provide opportunities for the author to demonstrate how some schools implement programs like "freshman-year seminars," as well as describe why such programs are important. The author forms the heart of the book, showing the five criteria and their supporting arguments as essential attributes of an effective postsecondary educational program and what defines this program.

The author develops his case for an education based on the practical liberal arts. Many of Buyer's recommendations, such as those emphasizing communication skills throughout the college curriculum and providing opportunities for all students to learn outside the classroom, are certainly laudable and are indeed found in the best educational institutions at all levels, from community and technical colleges to Ivy League colleges.

However, as a whole, the concept of the practical liberal arts, as Boyer describes it, does not provide an appropriate learning platform for the many students who may be better served by a strong technical or vocational program. Of course, a few of the students planning on studying in areas like automotive repair, medical transcription and computer networking are likely part of Boyer's target audience. However, m many places, particularly in the sixth chapter, "The End of Rankings," the author asserts the often repeated, but rarely questioned mantra that all students should attend a fouryear college.

In the long run, potential postsecondary students, are better off asking, "Why am I going to school?" rather than, "What is the best school?" but Boyer commendably suggests we change the second question to "What is the best school for me?" However, Boyer advocates a four-year education as appropriate for all students when it might more appropriately serve only the top half of today's graduating high school classes. Nevertheless, many students and parents who are committed to investigating their four-year college and university options will find this to be a more helpful resource, providing an intelligent framework for making decisions about college, than any simplistic rankings system.

Reviewed by Darren Couillard, counselor, John Marshall High School, Rochester, MN