The EdUp Experience What College Presidents Need to Know About Rankings, ROI & the Demographic Cliff - with Dr. LaMont Jones, Managing Editor for Education, U.S. News & World Report
Nov 4, 2025
Join Dr. LaMont Jones, Managing Editor for Education at U.S. News & World Report, as he dives into the evolving landscape of college rankings. Discover how families can leverage U.S. News' vast resources for better educational choices. Dr. Jones discusses the importance of outcomes-based metrics over traditional prestige, and how community colleges and alternative paths offer impressive ROI. He also explores the impact of AI on admissions and shares strategies for colleges facing the demographic cliff, all while maintaining a focus on transparency and mission clarity.
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Episode notes
Small Data Differences Move Rankings
- Rankings use 17 indicators and tiny point differences can separate top schools.
- Methodology refinements over decades explain small rank shifts, not single causes like an alum.
Treat Rankings As A Starting Point
- Use rankings as a starting point to compare apples-to-apples factors that matter to you.
- Prioritize the metrics you care about and drill into outcomes rather than headline rank.
Outcomes Drive Modern Rankings
- U.S. News shifted to being majority outcomes-based, including graduation and job outcomes.
- Pell-eligible student outcomes are explicitly weighted to assess how schools serve low-income students.