What makes a college “good”?

In early college planning meetings, nearly every student says they want to attend a “good college.” 

Seems reasonable. After all, who wouldn’t want to attend a “good” school? 

But, when we ask students to define what a “good college” means to them, they’re usually hard-pressed to define the term. Upon further discussion, a student’s definition of a “good college” typically includes one or more of these characteristics: 

• The student has “heard” of the college
• The college has a low admit rate
• The college is highly ranked by publications like US News or The Wall Street Journal

Let’s break it down.

First, students from the same high school or geographic region tend to apply to many of the same colleges. Often, they focus on schools that are relatively close to home or schools that are well-known nationally. Familiarity with a school—or knowing someone who attends—is a good starting point for a college search. But, with 2500+ four-year colleges in the U.S. alone, the familiar ones aren’t the only “good” options.

Second, students and parents often perceive colleges as “better” solely because they are less attainable. The scarcity principle is nothing new—humans are naturally wired to desire limited editions and exclusive memberships. However, this mindset is somewhat twisted if you think about it. The fact that a college denies most applicants makes it more desirable, yet everyone wants to be among the select few who are admitted. 

Lastly, many students and parents fixate on third-party rankings in assessing the quality of a college. Yet, they may not realize the extent to which rankings can be manipulated. Northeastern University is a great example of how a commuter school gamed the rankings and transformed itself into an international powerhouse that garners 100,000+ applications each cycle. Additionally, many students and parents don’t even know what criteria drive the rankings. Often, rankings systems consider factors, such as Pell graduation rates and faculty publications, that may not be priorities for all families. Lastly, as the graph below shows, rankings systems use different methodologies, which can lead to significant variance.

Check out how US News and The Wall Street Journal ranked some well-known, prestigious schools in 2024:

Obviously, Northwestern is the same school, regardless of whether it’s ranked #6 or #62. Yet, overreliance on rankings could lead to a vastly different conclusion about its “quality.”

The recent meteoric rise in the popularity of many large, public Southern schools also illustrates how perceptions about “good” schools morph over time. Let’s take Clemson University as an example. Five years ago, most of our non-Southern students had zero interest in Clemson—they hadn’t “heard” of it and didn’t know anyone who attended. Instead, students interested in going South fixated on schools like the University of Texas-Austin, the University of North Carolina, and the University of Virginia. Because all three of these schools were well-known, highly selective, and ranked highly, people concluded they must be “good.”

Between 2020 and 2025, however, Clemson’s popularity began to grow. More people learned about the school, leading more to apply and causing more to be denied. As word about Clemson spread, it became more desirable and perceived as “better” even though the school itself didn’t drastically change in those years. Check out how Clemson’s applications spiked and admit rate plummeted between 2020 and 2025: 

Ultimately, what makes a school “good” is whether it fits each student’s academic, social, and financial values and priorities. Additionally, a school that is “good” for one student may not be a great fit for another. Begin your college search by considering what is important to you, keeping an open mind,  and casting a wide net. You just might find some hidden gems that are “good” for you.