newsfilter
← Latest News
Business Wire·

Kaplan Survey: Admissions Officers’ Skepticism of College Rankings Remains High, with 70 Percent Saying They’ve Lost Prestige

  • A 2026 Kaplan survey of 213 admissions officers reveals 70% believe college rankings have lost prestige, a figure unchanged from 2025 but higher than 56% in 2023.
  • Despite concerns about fairness & the influence of reputation over current performance, 88% of institutions plan to continue participating in U.S. News & World Report rankings.
  • Admissions officers note that families often rely excessively on rankings, which they view as unfair & potentially gamed, rather than reflecting the full educational experience.
  • Kaplan senior vice president Jason Bedford advises that while rankings provide data on retention & graduation, families should prioritize affordability, return on investment, & campus fit over a school's list position.
  • The survey data was collected via email between July & September 2026 from officers at top national, regional, & liberal arts colleges.