Ignoring the rankings?

With the new US News and World Report College Rankings out, there will be several stories on their problems. Here are a few of the early entries:

• Vox says schools should push back against them.
• CBS says it should make you mad.
• The Washington Post offers data on trends.
• Last year The Atlantic offered an annual reminder to ignore the rankings.

You get the idea. As a fan of data, both the rankings and the critiques intrigue me.