In the July 2012, Forbes Magazine compiled its “America’s Best College” list for the year 2012. Of the 560 schools ranked, 26 of them were schools located in Illinois.

Six of them were state-funded schools, but Eastern was not among them.

Michael Noer, the editor of the list, did not return requests for comment but did write a separate article explaining some of the methodology of the rankings.

“The rankings, which are compiled exclusively for Forbes by the Washington, D.C.-based Center for College Affordability and Productivity, focus on the things that matter the most to students: quality of teaching, great career prospects, high graduation rates and low-levels of debt.” Noer said in the article. “They do not attempt to assess a school’s reputation, nor are they a measure of academic selectivity and we pointedly ignore any metrics that would encourage schools to engage in wasteful spending.”

According to the rubric used by the Center for College Affordability and Productivity, the ranking comes from a compiled score based on the following aspects:  post graduate success student satisfaction, debt, four-year graduation rate and competitive awards.

The post-graduate success portion makes up 32.5 percent of the score and takes into account students who go on to obtain masters and doctorate degrees.

Student satisfaction makes up 27.5 percent, debt after college 17.5 percent, and four year graduation rate and competitive awards each make up 11.25 percent a piece of the score.

Each of these categories gathered its data from a variety of sources including other survey sites including ratemyprofessor.com and payscale.com

Blair Lord, the provost and vice president for academic affairs and said without talking to the survey company it is difficult to figure out why Eastern did not make the list.

He said the university focuses not how to increase the rankings, but to help students.

“We do not typically study the methodology carefully with an eye to manipulating one or more of the parameters,” Lord said. “We do, however, take seriously trying to provide opportunity and access to a superior education. The more successful we can be in achieving this, the more likely it will be reflected favorably in the ratings.”

Although, the university does not focus on the rankings, Lord said it is important to remember that surveys like this one are indeed a part of a business.

“There is definitely a “public service” aspect to college rankings,” he said. “It also is a business for those promulgating the rankings; hence, the number of different organizations establishing them and the variations in their focus.”

Amy Wywialowski can be reached at 581-2812 or alwywialowski@eiu.edu.