If your school’s listed as one of the top colleges in the country, does it have an impact on admissions – or is it a big “So what?” Here’s what a new study found.

According to a paper analyzing the significance of the U.S. News and World Report Best Colleges rankings, when a school is listed in the top 50:

• It experiences an increase of 2.3% in the proportion of accepted high school students in the top 10% of their class.
• Its overall acceptance rate drops by 3.6%
• Average SAT scores of accepted students increase by 1.2% (not significant)

The paper also looked at whether these rankings are more influential for large universities vs. small liberal arts schools (or vice versa). It basically found that prospective liberal arts college students – and their parents – are more influenced by factors that have nothing to do with the Best Colleges rankings.

For years, many college administrators at liberal arts colleges have complained the rankings are too subjective – and less weight should be put on them.

(For a look at the Best Colleges rankings, click here.)

Are they right? Or do the rankings count for less than the media would have us believe? Tell us what you think in the comments sections below.

Tags: college rankings, U.S. News and World Report