Malcolm Gladwell has made two arguments that matter for the college search. In his podcast Revisionist History, he examined how the U.S. News college rankings are built and what they leave out. In his book David and Goliath, he described the "big fish, little pond" effect: students judge themselves against the people around them, which can shape their confidence and choices.
"Lord of the Rankings": how the rankings work
In 2021, Gladwell devoted two episodes of Revisionist History to the U.S. News & World Report college rankings. He traced how the magazine came to lead the field and, with help from statisticians, looked closely at how the formula works.
One thread of the series asked how colleges with fewer resources fare in a system that rewards wealth and selectivity. Gladwell looked at Dillard University, a historically Black university in New Orleans, and asked how differently it might rank if its finances matched those of wealthier schools. The point was not that rankings are useless, but that they measure some things (money, reputation, selectivity) much more than others, such as what a college does for the students it actually serves.
David and Goliath: the big fish, little pond effect
In his 2013 book David and Goliath, Gladwell draws on research known as relative deprivation: people judge themselves less by their absolute position than by where they stand among those around them.
His example compares students at a highly selective university with students at a much less selective college. At both, the students with the strongest preparation tended to stay in demanding science fields, while those nearer the bottom of their own class were more likely to leave, even when they would have been near the top somewhere else. Being surrounded by exceptional classmates can quietly make a capable student feel less capable.
Gladwell draws a pointed conclusion from this: some students may do better choosing a college where they would be near the top of the class. Not everyone agrees, and the research has nuances, but the core idea is useful for any family.
Why this matters for belonging
The big fish idea is really about how a student feels in a place. A student who constantly measures themselves against classmates, and comes up short, may start to wonder whether they belong at all.
Researcher Brené Brown distinguishes fitting in, which means changing yourself to be accepted, from belonging, which means being accepted as you are. A student chosen into a place mainly by its name may spend four years trying to fit in. Read more about fitting in versus belonging.
We would put Gladwell's advice a little differently. The goal isn't to be the biggest fish. It's to find a pond where a student can be fully themselves, challenged and supported, and keep reaching for the things they love.
Questions to consider
- In this college's classes, would the student feel stretched, or constantly behind?
- If they want a demanding major, how do students in that major describe the support they get?
- Would the student feel free to try things and sometimes fail here?
FAQ
What did Malcolm Gladwell say about college rankings? In the 2021 Revisionist History episodes "Lord of the Rankings," he examined how the U.S. News formula works and argued that it rewards wealth and selectivity more than what colleges do for their students.
What is the big fish, little pond effect? The idea that people judge themselves relative to those around them, so a capable student can feel less capable among exceptional classmates. Gladwell discusses it in David and Goliath.
Does Gladwell say not to go to an elite college? He argues that some students, especially in demanding fields, may do better where they are near the top of the class. It's one perspective; the right answer depends on the student.
Start with the student, not the pond
Lens begins with who a student is (how they learn, what motivates them, the kind of place they'd feel at ease in) and then looks for colleges where they may thrive, using federal data and the colleges' own words. Start with Lens →
Related
- What college rankings measure
- College rankings vs. belonging: what the experts say
- Does college selectivity matter?
Sources
- Malcolm Gladwell, Revisionist History, "Lord of the Rankings" (2021); summary via Rowan University and theGrio
- Dillard University, on the Revisionist History episodes
- Malcolm Gladwell, David and Goliath (2013); summary via Fortune