List of 2016 best U.S. colleges out, Princeton keeps top spot
On Wednesday, the U.S. News & World Report released its 2016 Best Colleges list that aims to provide the masses with metrics of academic excellence in American higher education.
The magazine's annual survey has been one of the most popular in all of the country for more than three decades to date. The new rankings hold data of almost 1,800 schools.
While the University of Pennsylvania was the only school to make a shift from no.8 to no.9, Maryland's Johns Hopkins University climbed up two spots from last year to tie with California Institute of Technology at no. 10. This is probably a huge breakthrough for the university since 2000 as it pushed Dartmouth College out of the top 10.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
According to U.S. News, one of the biggest breaks in this year's list came from Southern Illinois University - Carbondale, which made its way 36 spots higher from a tie at no. 189 to a tie at no. 153.
On the Liberal Arts colleges score sheet, Williams, Amherst, and Swarthmore took the top 3 spots, respectively, and in a four-way tie, Bowdoin, Middlebury, Pomona, and Wellesley Colleges took fourth place.
Editor and chief content officer of the outlet Brian Kelly said in a statement that they are always aiming for accurate data that could help students in their decision making for college. "To find the best fit, students should consider a range of factors, from financial aid offerings and location to campus size and majors," he said.
Kelly admitted that "The process can be overwhelming, but [our] rankings and advice content are a great place to start."
According to the Time Magazine, the rankings have always been subject to controversy, with some experts arguing that the list actually stands as more of "a catalyst than a barometer."
Meanwhile, the top 3 remain strong and firm in their hold as the U.S.' best schools: Princeton University of New Jersey at no. 1, Massachusetts' Harvard University at no. 2, and Yale University in Connecticut at no. 3.
