Georgia universities retain high marks in ‘Best Colleges’ guide

The U.S. News & World Report college rankings will hit the newsstands Monday and, with the exception of one local school that landed with a splash in a new category, many of Georgia’s colleges barely moved at all.

Kennesaw State was ranked number 4 in the new category of up-and-coming masters’ level universities in the south.

For the first time, U.S. News polled top college officials to identify schools that have recently made the most promising and innovative changes in academics, faculty, students, campuses or facilities. Kennesaw State was among 70 colleges that received the most nominations.

“These accolades from U.S. News & World Report confirm what we have been saying: Kennesaw State is on an upward trajectory, and we are not just getting bigger, we’re much better than many people yet know,” President Daniel S. Papp said in a press release. “KSU is driven by a can-do spirit, and we have ambitious goals and dreams. We have a bright and promising future.”

The annual rankings, loved by students and parents and loathed by college presidents, judge schools on factors from reputation and student retention to faculty resources and alumni giving.

In the new edition, Emory ranked 18th among national universities, both public and private, tying with The University of Notre Dame and Vanderbilt, a spot below where it ranked last year.

Among top public universities, Georgia Tech held on to its No. 7 spot, tying with the University of California San Diego and the University of Wisconsin. UGA stayed in the top 20, tying in that position with the University of Pittsburgh.

Spelman College was again ranked the top historically black institution in the nation. It’s the second year of that category and the second time Spelman made No. 1.

“We’re always delighted to be recognized for the good work that we do,” said Spelman President Beverly Tatum. But she was quick to say that students shouldn’t use rankings to base decisions on where to go to school.

“We recognize that there’s a certain amount of superficiality represented in the system — they don’t really describe what happens on a day-to-day basis.”

Morehouse ranked No. 3 in that category.

The rankings rankle college administrators, who have long complained about the methodology.

In 2007, the president of Stanford University made headlines for openly criticizing the rankings in a letter to the editor of U.S. News.

“I am extremely skeptical that the quality of a university — any more than the quality of a magazine — can be measured statistically. However, even if it can, the producers of the U.S. News rankings remain far from discovering the method,” Gerhard Casper wrote.

Some schools have stopped participating altogether. Others, like Clemson University in South Carolina, have made clawing their way up the rankings a top priority. Clemson President James Barker set a goal of breaking into the top 20 public institutions when he took office in 2000, a plan that was approved by the board of trustees. After an aggressive campaign to increase research, alumni giving and make other improvements on campus, Clemson climbed several spots and is now ranked 22nd, just behind UGA.

In “Schools to Watch,” a new ranking this year, Agnes Scott College was ranked ninth among liberal arts colleges considered “tops for innovation.” Agnes Scott also climbed from 30th to 16th in “Great Schools, Great Prices,” ranking as the best college value in the Southeast.

Emory also earned high marks for value and faculty compensation.

“While rankings are one way of evaluating institutional success, the true measure of a university is revealed in the work of its faculty, staff and students,” Emory Provost Earl Lewis said in a statement. “Emory is committed to combining its strengths and resources to make a lasting impact on the Atlanta community, higher education and the world.”