College stays high in questioned rankings

Author: Jaime Fuller

This summer, Middlebury College continued its rise in commercial prominence and academic prestige with its posting on college rankings lists published by U.S News and World Report Magazine, Princeton Review, Forbes Magazine, and the Sierra Club.

Middlebury is no stranger to the rankings, but this year the college has made some improvement, especially in the Sierra Club's "Ten That Get It" list. Last year Middlebury was #6 on the list, but moved up this fall to #1 due to the college's renewable energy projects and extensive recycling facilities. The Sierra Club website describes the student body as "outdoorsy intellectuals" and cites Scholar-In-Residence Bill McKibben's environmental journalism fellowship program as a reason for the college's top score of 93. The only fault the country's oldest and largest grassroots environmental organization finds with Middlebury is the administration's lack of transparency regarding current investments.

The Sierra Club ranking also has the distinction of being the only college ranking list to be posted as a news release on the Middlebury College website. Despite being #5 on the U.S. News and World Report the last five years, President of the College Ronald D. Liebowitz refuses to promote such numerical evaluations as a valid statement of the College's worth. Liebowitz and 18 other liberal arts college presidents published a statement stipulating why the rankings are an unreliable source of information in the college admissions process.

"We commit not to mention U.S. News or similar rankings in any of our new publications," said Liebowitz in a statement on September 9, 2007. "Such lists mislead the public into thinking that the complexities of American higher education can be reduced to one number."

The Forbes Magazine "America's Best Colleges" list is a neophyte to the college ranking game, and Middlebury debuted this year as #17 on their list, wedged between the United States Air Force Academy and the University of Chicago. On the website, Dean of Admissions, Bob Clagett explained why prospective students might choose this private liberal arts college over other similar prestigious institutions.

"Middlebury has avoided having a really defined image attached to it," said Clagett. "Students don't feel that they have to live up to the image of what a "typical" Middlebury student is. I think that contributes to Middlebury being a happy and healthy place."

Middlebury also made an impressive showing on the Princeton Review Rankings, making seven of the Best 368 College Ranking Lists, as well as being named a "Best Northeastern College" and a "College With a Conscience." The College was named #1 for Professors Get High Marks, and also made top ten for Best Campus Food, Best Career/Job Placement Services, School Runs Like Butter, Students Study the Most, Best Classroom Experience and Best Quality of Life.

Whether these rankings have any impact on admissions remains yet to be seen, but judging by the Class of 2012, others things remained much more important to their final decision than a grandiose list.

"I can't say I really looked at them," said Emily Blair '12. "My family might have looked at them, people trying to convince me to go here, but not me."

Elliot Yoo '12 admits to looking at the lists in his initial search, but says his personal contacts were a bigger factor in his decision.

"[The lists] partially affected my decision," said Yoo. "I knew someone who went here and that was a bigger impact on my decision, but knowing the ranking helped."