Waverly Hart
News Editor
The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education (WSJ/THE) recently released their list of U.S. College Rankings and their list of Top 100 Liberal Arts Schools. Among liberal arts schools, The College of Wooster was ranked 39th. Additionally, Wooster placed 105th out of over 800 U.S. colleges and universities on the list, marking an 11-spot improvement from their placement last year.
The WSJ/THE article listing Wooster as 39th among liberal arts colleges discussed the numerous areas of undergraduate study the College has to offer, in addition to listing sports, musical groups and successful alumni from the College.
The methodology behind WSJ/THE’s ranking is based on various information and data from the schools, and is designed to answer the most important and meaningful questions students and parents might have when making a college decision.
WSJ/THE’s methodology is based on the following four categories:
1) The quality of a school’s resources, including the quality of the faculty and finance per student,
2) How effectively the school engages with its students, through teacher-student interaction and student recommendation,
3) How successful students are after college, including graduation rate, salary after graduation and the ability to repay student debt, and
4) The environment of the school, which looks at factors like student and faculty diversity, proportion of international students and student inclusion on campus.
Jennifer Winge, the dean of admissions at The College of Wooster, believes the College is receiving more acclaim throughout all parts of the world as Wooster becomes more recognized by the global community.
“Global awareness and enthusiasm for Wooster is evident based on the College’s consistent enrollment success, academic prowess of the incoming classes and — most excitingly — the diversity of the students. There were 90 countries represented in the applicant pool this past year, and this fall, Wooster represents 54 different countries on campus. Wooster is certainly a ‘hot’ college for both U.S. and international students, and I believe this increased awareness and the success of our students and graduates have likely moved the dial with most rankings,” Winge said.
Winge also believes Wooster’s growing popularity is a result of the large number of college counselors visiting the campus.
“I believe the College is receiving more positive press because more people around the world are learning more about Wooster. We’ve had a record number of college counselors visit the campus in the last few years, and we know that counselors are strong influencers in the overall college selection process. We also have great stories to share regarding our consistent enrollment, strong retention and graduation rates and alumni outcomes and support,” Winge said.
However, Winge also urges students and families not to become too fixated on the numerous college ranking lists.
“It’s hard to keep track of the number of rankings now available to prospective students and families,” Winge said. “It’s important to remind students, counselors and families that rankings are just one piece of the puzzle as they develop their college choice list. It’s important not to rely on just one set of rankings and resources, and it’s most helpful to identify college choice sets that match the individual student’s preferences and college characteristics that will help that student to succeed.”