Brett Banter

Congratulations to Clemson, Furman, and Wofford, all Upstate colleges and universities named to several Princeton Review “Top 20” lists of best colleges. The nation now knows what we have known for a while – that the Upstate is home to some of the finest educational institutions in the country. But what makes these rankings even more outstanding is how they’re compiled. From the way people cite Princeton Review rankings, you would think they were serious algorithms that determine success or failure as a college. Not so. The Princeton Review college guide is put together through student surveys, of which approximately 325 students per campus actually complete. Even on Wofford’s campus, easily the smallest school of the upstate delegation, that’s only 10 percent of students. Not exactly great statistical accuracy. Or serious consideration from higher education experts.

So why is this seemingly random, poorly representative survey a boon for Upstate education? Because it directly reflects what students care about and value in their college experience. For Clemson, it’s athletics, but it’s also community relations. For Furman, it’s religion and civic responsibility. And for Wofford, it’s study abroad opportunities and quality of professors.

No Upstate school made the “Top 20” party schools (but USC did…ouch). Again, these rankings aren’t a product of official observation and analysis. They reflect what makes students proud about their schools. So when we see these rankings, we shouldn’t just think, “Yay for national attention”. We should instead be proud that our Upstate schools are not only creating smart individuals, but good citizens. People who value all types of education. People who know how to have fun…but not too much.