College rankings more important than ever

Although critics disparage the college rankings as flawed and elitist, a growing number of students seem to be relying on them to help with their college picks. That was the conclusion of a new survey by Art & Science Group. The higher-education consulting firm polled high school students about college rankings three times -- in 1995, 2002 and last winter -- and found that the importance of rankings in students' college decisions has climbed considerably since the first two surveys. More...