If any sassy potential students ask Baker University admissions representatives how Baker ranks in lists of top colleges, they may get an unexpected answer.

While Baker no longer holds a ranked number in U.S. News and World Report, it is one of CosmoGIRL! Magazine’s 100 best colleges.

Earlier this year, Baker’s category in the U.S. News and World Report rankings changed, causing the university to fall from the 44th position in the Midwest region to an unranked position in the fourth tier of a national list.

A full spectrum of universities, ranging from William Jewell College to Yale University are on the CosmoGIRL! list, and earning a spot on the CosmoGIRL! list shows Baker is doing something right by offering a strong educational atmosphere for women.

It also brings to mind things that need to be worked on.

The female/male ratio is something you could laugh or cry about, and it could be worsened as a flock of high school seniors grab up the latest issue of CosmoGIRL! for college advice.

According to a Baker Orange article published Sept. 29, 2006, the average ACT score for incoming freshman declined every year between 2002 and 2006. The 2002 average score was 23.68 and by 2006 it was 23.0.

Most students wandering the campus have things they would like to see different at Baker, but a CosmoGIRL! ranking isn’t going to improve any situation. Neither will a U.S. News and World Report ranking.

Rankings in magazines don’t fix problems, but they can point out weaknesses and be indicators of success. They can be a recruiting tool to bring in the next wave of future graduates.

While a number in a magazine doesn’t reflect what you learn in college, we should all be aware of Baker’s standing among institutions of higher learning. The degree that you will be trying to get a job with will have Baker’s name on it, and that name comes with a reputation…based in CosmoGIRL!.