Ratings, Rankings, and Publications

Common Data Set (CDS)

The Common Data Set Initiative is a collaborative effort among data providers in the higher education community and publishers. The stated goal is to provide accurate and timely data to students and their families while decreasing the burden on data providers. In producing their publications and rankings, publishers ask the same core questions of institutions using the Common Data Set to define those questions and their responses. These data are also used in public accountability efforts.