Magazines and directories that rank colleges have become big business in recent years.

These guides can be a useful place to begin your college search. They usually contain information about a college’s size, setting, student body, popular majors and religious affiliation.

They may also contain helpful advice about working your way through the selection process, financial aid, getting the most out of a college interview or a campus visit, things you can do while still in high school to improve your chances of being accepted, and things designed to ease the transition from high school to college. There may be tips for parents as well.

You should not, however, place too much importance on rankings. Publications may rely on certain factual information in evaluating schools, but rankings usually reflect subjective findings as well. The college that ranks 50th on somebody’s list may not be that different from the college that ranks 150th.

Don’t rule out a school merely because it is not on a “best colleges” list. Remember, THE best college is the college that is best for YOU.