Every year, high school students are presented with a number of college ranking lists that rate the colleges and universities in the United States according to very strict sets of standards and criteria. But it's important to understand what these rankings actually mean.

"The most popular or well-known ranking lists are by US News & World Report, Forbes, Washington Monthly, Princeton Review and Kiplinger," says educational consultant Brittany Maschal. "All of these lists rank schools in a similar way."

Maschal says US News is probably the most widely used ranking system. It puts out a variety of lists, including some that rank the best undergraduate business, engineering and teaching programs.

But other lists can offer valuable information as well. "I like Kiplinger for their focus on best value colleges, and Washington Monthly for their focus on more qualitative factors," says Maschal.

Rankings help expose, explain and rate schools using the same standards or guideposts right across the board. That can be valuable if you're looking for a school with a top-notch reputation.

"If you are concerned about attending a school with a solid reputation (at least nationally) or that may be regarded to a great extent as one of the best schools in a certain discipline, then it can be helpful to you to review ranking lists," says Maschal. "Similarly, if you care less about 'fit' and other qualitative factors related to your college experience, using lists as a guide may be helpful."

But that doesn't mean rankings are the be-all and end-all of the tricky college selection process. Sometimes the information gathered by these rankings systems, and even how this information is gathered, can be a bit misleading.

"Rankings, for the most part, are measures of factors like institutional wealth, influence and pedigree," says Maschal. "These lists do not reflect more qualitative factors, like the academic and overall campus environment and culture. I believe that students and families should look beyond the rankings and focus on factors that look beyond prestige, reputation, and brand awareness - the academic environment and student culture are equally, if not more, important."

Students should also be aware of the fact that these rankings may not represent all their post-secondary options. Some colleges, for example, decide they don't want to be included, and so refuse to participate. Some of these colleges claim numbers and statistics only represent part of the "best of the bunch" picture.

Ultimately, you are the one seeking and getting a higher education, and you are the one who should be choosing the college that's right for you. College rankings can be one of the factors in your decision - as long as you give them their proper weight.