Sep 14, 2016 10:28 PM EDT By Jane Reed, UniversityHerald Reporter

Thinking of going to a university soon or the next year? This list can help you make a decision.

The United States News & World Report recently revealed the top schools in the country. The list influences many prospective students on which college or university to go to. And with more than 1,800 schools, only a few topped the list which means they have heavy scores in all 15 indicators of academic quality.

These 15 academic quality indicators are the very same things that students and parents are looking for when choosing the next level and higher education. These 15 indicators include student selectivity, academic excellence, financial resources, and more. But the biggest chunk of scoring these schools come from graduation and retention rates. Graduation and retention rates carry a 30% weight in the scoring.

Other factors include specifics on academic life, financial aid, student body makeup and more. Students can research schools with the most economic diversity and campus ethnic diversity, as well as the most international students.

At the same time, financial costs are being considered. Which is what Brian Kelly mentions. "In addition to considering factors like location and cost, families should pay close attention to graduation and retention rates. These are important indicators of how well a school supports its students both academically and financially. Getting into a good school means nothing if you cannot graduate," says US News editor Brian Kelly.

Princeton University tops the list for the sixth year in a row, Harvard University comes in second. Yale University and University of Chicago ties on third. Stanford University and Columbia University ties after.

"With this new index measure, U.S. News takes fuller advantage of the data schools provide, while still rewarding schools that make an effort to better serve their students with smaller classes," explains Chief Data Strategist Robert Morse.

Kelly stresses that "parents and students to use the wealth of data and information in Best Colleges to identify schools that suit their specific needs."

Are you interested to know more about the world's top universities instead? Check out last year's ranking below:

See Now: Covert Team Inside Newsweek Revealed as Key Players in False Human Trafficking Lawsuit