Colleges Ranked Based on Service to Country

Colleges are no longer just being ranked on academic strength, reports The Washington Monthly. The magazine has released its own rankings of universities and liberal-arts colleges based on their emphasis on “social giving” factors: volunteer service, social mobility, and spending on scientific research.

To compile its figures, the magazine looked at the percentage of students who enlisted in the Army and Navy Reserves and the Peace Corps; the percentage of spending on research, especially in science and technology; and the awarding of Pell Grants compared with graduation rates.

The magazine’s findings: The perennially elite schools are not necessarily ranked the highest. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is ranked first in social giving, while Princeton University ranks 43rd.