Guidance counselors, college advisers and high school seniors and their parents have long debated the value of college rankings. Now the Princeton Review and USA Today are joining the debate on value - by ranking which schools are among the top 10 "Best Value Colleges" in the U.S.
This year, Penn did not make the list.
The top 10 private and public colleges are ranked using school-reported data and students' surveys; the rest are listed alphabetically.
Selection focused on over 30 factors across three general areas: academics, costs and financial aid.
Important statistics included percentages of students whose financial needs were fully met and average debt after graduation.
Penn was among the 650 institutions considered for the ranking, Princeton Review publicist Jeanne Krier wrote in an e-mail.
"We began with those 650 or so colleges we identified as among the academically best in the country," she wrote.
Swarthmore College came out on top of the list of private institutions, as the college met 100 percent of financial aid needs last year.
According to the school's Web site, approximately 50 percent of the student body shared the $24 million in scholarships and loans last year. That number is expected to rise this year.
Rounding out the top five on the private institutions' list are Harvard, Princeton, Rice and Yale universitites. Several other Ivy League schools, including Brown and Columbia universities, were not included.
Instead, liberal arts schools dominated the remaining spots, with Williams, Amherst and Pomona colleges all making the top 10.
On the list of public institutions, the University of Virginia took first place.
Although these rankings may simplify the process, simplification is not always a good thing, explained Maria Morales-Kent, director of college counseling at the Thacher School in California.
"Most college counselors have a tough time with rankings," she said. "In our busy everyday life, we're looking for quick summaries, so we don't have to delve into things."
According to Morales-Kent, the college search process "should be a time for students to think deeply about who they are."
Erin Johnston, co-director of college guidance at the National Cathedral School in Washington, D.C., thinks the Best Values list will not be a deciding factor for students, even in the current economic climate.
"I don't think these rankings make or break an ultimate enrollment decision," she said.
Tim Lear, director of college counseling at the Pingry School in New Jersey, agreed, saying the economic crisis has not had a serious impact on this year's college process.
"The bulk of the bad news came post-Halloween," he said. "I think this year's junior and sophomore class may change their approach to the college process and scrutinize a list like this, but this year's seniors will not," he said.
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