Columbia University Loses U.S. News Ranking

As reported by U.S. News & World Report, Columbia University will not be ranked in the 2022 U.S. News & World Report national rankings. Previously, the university held the number two position, tied with Harvard and MIT. 

Columbia mathematics professor Dr. Michael Thaddeus questioned the veracity of the data the university submitted to U.S. News in a 21-page critique. When the U.S. News asked Columbia to verify their data, Columbia was unable to turn in their material by the deadline.

Schools are ranked on a variety of factors ranging from class size to the number of faculty holding terminal degrees. It should be noted that, at the time of this writing, the accusations of compromised data have not been proven. Columbia officials are in the process of doing an audit of the information. 

What does this mean for your student?
If your student is under the impression that Columbia’s recent unranking will make it easier to gain acceptance, they are sorely mistaken. Columbia is still a highly competitive, highly selective school. Columbia has been around since 1754, before the birth of the United States! It’s still a well-regarded university with or without a ranking. Your student should apply with the same rigor as if the school were still ranked in second place.

Remember: rankings aren’t everything. They are merely one factor to consider when choosing a school. Factors like quality of the education and networking opportunities that truly matter.  

If your student is unsure about applying to Columbia because they are no longer ranked, then your student might need to take a step back and reconsider their approach to the college application process. Though Columbia is not participating in the ranking system at this time, the educational standards that the school has set have not changed. 

Be sure to check back in with the Ivy Link blog to get the latest on this developing story, how it may impact other colleges, and the future of U.S. News college rankings.