I'm not a big fan of these magazine ratings of universities and colleges...too much subjectivity and bias built into their methods...but for what it's worth, Ohio University didn't rank that well in the Forbes top 610 colleges...we ranked 420 something as I remember.

Forbes said that their methodology is based on what the students themselves say about their schools. 

I cruised the list the other day to see where we stood and it looked heavily favored towards private schools.  I'm guessing but there must have been 12 or more private schools in Ohio on the list before us.  It's hard for me to believe those are "better" colleges or universities. 

I think the biggest benefit of these is simply a matter of pride and leverage the administration can use when raising funds in both the General Assembly and Private donations.  Alumni relations and the University always promotes the high rankings when they occur.  Of course the American way is the desire to be associated with the best, so rankings like this make us all feel better :)  At the end of the day though our diploma's and the education of current students is not really effected.