Looking Past the National College Rankings

INDIANAPOLIS, Sept. 10, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- What makes a college or university attractive to prospective students? Selectivity and top national ranking seem to be popular reasons for choosing a college, but they have little impact on the educational and life skills gained by students while at college, according to a national study conducted by Wabash College's Center of Inquiry in the Liberal Arts (CILA).

The Wabash National Study will be featured at a national conference at the Indiana State Museum on Sept. 17. The conference, "Celebrating the Value of Liberal Arts Education," will highlight several speakers from all over the country who will present on topics ranging from academics to entrepreneurship. Among the presenters are Angie Hicks Bowman, co-founder of Angie's List; Clay Robbins, CEO of Lilly Endowment; and Stephen Ferguson, chairman of Cook Group Incorporated.

While the conference will highlight CILA's recent efforts, the Wabash Study has been hailed for almost a decade for its identification of the collegiate experiences most likely to lead to high student outcomes. Among its findings:

• Common metrics of institutional quality — high national rankings, admissions selectivity and faculty scholarly output — have little correlation to student outcomes as measured by graduates' moral reasoning, intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, and leadership skills.
• High-quality classroom teaching and deep and varied learning experiences are the most important factors related to high student outcomes.
• These qualities are most likely to be experienced at liberal arts colleges.

"Today's economy forces students and parents to think carefully about the investment they are making in college," said Charles Blaich, CILA director. "But it's important to keep in mind that college helps students prepare not only for future careers, but everything they do after college. College is the environment where students develop the knowledge, skills, and connections to take into the real world. This kind of education for life is called liberal arts education."

The study is the result of 10 years of surveys and in-depth interviews with more than 17,000 students across 49 colleges and universities. Participating schools include Butler University, University of Notre Dame, and University of Michigan. Surveys were administered to students throughout their college experience, including before their matriculation. The Wabash Study seeks to identify experiences that are most beneficial to students and also helps schools to improve their programs and enhance student achievement.

SOURCE Wabash College