Nor are students' preferences ignored. In fact, in large measure it is an obsession with attracting students that drives up the institution's cost. What is most different about today's colleges and universities is not the price of the professoriate and administration but the cost of scholarships and financial aid, physical facilities, Internet access, and intercollegiate athletic teams—all things that matter to students as they choose one school over another. Rankings measure other things of importance to students: student–teacher ratios; graduation rates; student and alumni satisfaction;
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