School Information System: Claremont McKenna's inflated scores bring new scrutiny to college rankings

February 14, 2012

Claremont McKenna's inflated scores bring new scrutiny to college rankings

Some students and their counselors say they might take annual magazine listings of colleges less seriously than in the past.

As she looked for potential colleges, Elisha Marquez researched school rankings in U.S. News & World Report and other publications. As a result, she found some East Coast schools that previously were not on her radar.

"It wasn't the most important factor," she said of the magazine's rankings. "But it did factor into my eventual decision of what schools to apply to," said the Eagle Rock High School senior, who is awaiting word from 14 campuses: UCs, Ivy Leagues and others.

But Marquez heard disturbing news recently. Claremont McKenna College reported that an admissions dean inflated freshman SAT scores for six years to boost its standing in U.S. News. Such cheating makes Marquez "a little more skeptical of such rankings."

Posted by Jim Zellmer at February 14, 2012 1:31 AM
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Comments

Good for Claremont McKenna. Now, if all colleges would report bogus numbers, that would go a significant way in destroying the use of bogus statistics.

It's like allowing all athletes to take steroids, except there is no downside.

Posted by: Larry Winkler at February 14, 2012 8:54 PM