How Helpful is Forbes' List of Best Colleges?

I came across the Forbes list of Best Colleges. How reliable is it? Are there schools on there that aren't typically considered 'top' schools? Is it better to look at those rankings or focus more on fit?

Rankings such as the Forbes' List of Best Colleges can serve as a convenient starting point to identify potentially high-quality institutions. They consider factors such as alumni salary, student satisfaction, and post-graduate success. However, each ranking system tends to use different criteria and weights, which can significantly affect a college's rank. For instance, one list might emphasize student outcomes after graduation, while another might focus on the academic quality of incoming students. So, a school that appears as a top pick in one list might be ranked significantly lower in another, which could be why you see schools on the Forbes list that aren't as highly ranked on other lists.

On your second question on focusing on rankings versus fit, I would recommend a balanced approach. While prestige and name recognition can play a role in opportunities immediately after graduation and beyond, elements such as campus culture, course offerings, location, student support services, and other factors that typically affect 'fit' are also crucial to your overall college experience and subsequent success.

To summarize, rankings can be a useful tool to identify a wide range of potential colleges to consider, but they should definitely not be your only or primary tool. Individual research into each institution is key, and visiting campuses (if possible) can provide you with invaluable firsthand experience. This way, you'll be better equipped to decide if a particular institution is the right fit for your academic goals and personal preferences.