College athletes are judged constantly: whether via recruit rankings, depth charts, the transfer portal, or social media commentary. They get evaluated as if they are products, yet are never given the opportunity to give their own feedback.
With The Athletes’ School Ratings, Athletes.org is flipping that power dynamic, giving athletes the power to rate and review their schools.
The Athletes’ School Ratings is a school-by-school ranking system built from athletes’ real experiences, graded across the categories that shape daily life as a college athlete: strength and conditioning, athletic training, facilities, nutrition, academic support, career development, NIL support, mental health support and the overall college experience.
But this is more than just a ranking: it’s an opportunity for athletes to speak their mind, share their experience, and protect fellow athletes when making one of the most important decisions of their lives.
Spring 2026: a Spotlight on Athlete Voice
As the school year comes to a close, we’re reflecting on the ratings that athletes have shared so far this past season. With reviews from athletes across the country, The Athletes’ School Ratings gives a real-time glimpse into the life of today’s college athletes.
This spring, here’s how the rankings stand:
The Athletes’ School Rating Top Five Schools:
5. Purdue
Purdue athletes reported a wide range of experiences. Some athletes praised a “Great balance between academics and athletics,” and a seemingly “unlimited amount of resources and people you can reach out to as an athlete.” However, some other reviews were not as flattering, with one disgruntled athlete asserting that the school “looks like a great place, feels like a great place, but when you’re in the deep of it, it’s people trying to make money.”
4. Clemson
“BEST COLLEGE EVER” shared one athlete. Another made special note that “Clemson is a very family oriented atmosphere across all academics and athletic platforms.” While most athletes shared wonderful experiences at the school, several lower scores overall leaves Clemson just shy of the top 3.
3. Ohio State
In addition to its high scores, Ohio State Buckeyes embrace sharing their experiences as it is one of the most frequently-rated schools. Many commended their “Amazing facilities,” with one athlete commenting “Campus is overall great, school, sports, and social life are all top tier. No other place I’d rather be.”
2. Nebraska
In addition to holding the #2 overall spot, Nebraska also boasts the highest-rated Nutrition and Academic Support in the ranking. Athletes had great things to say about their time at the school, noting that “Nebraska prioritizes their student athletes and sets us up for great success when our sport ends.”
1. Georgia
AO members at Georgia had consistently great things to say about their time at the school. Students shared that Georgia “feels like home,” and that their programs were “so encouraging and rewarding.” One athlete shared “Being a Dawg was such a special experience. Athletics, academics, support and the fan base are unmatched here at UGA.”
Notable Schools on the Lower End of the Spectrum:
Baylor University
Although Baylor athletes have ranked their school generally positive, a few outliers keep the student experience from really shining. Multiple ratings mention low quality of NIL Support, with one student mentioning that the staff “needs to communicate better.”
Duke University
One of the more divisive schools in the ranking, Duke received a wide variety of ratings from athletes. Some found that Duke excelled in areas like Mental Health Support, but was lacking in things like Career Development. One athlete noted, “Coaching could have been better, but great teammates and great culture.”
Boston College
Boston College sits as the athletes’ fifth-lowest rated school. Despite holding higher scores in categories like Strength & Conditioning and Academic Support, a number of lower ratings keep BC from really shining. Athletes reported that nutrition was generally low-quality, and NIL Support left a lot to be desired, in addition to mixed reviews about BC’s campus culture as a whole.
Stanford University
Similarly to Boston College, Stanford athletes expressed concerns with the school’s culture, with one student reporting “regular students don’t want to be in our group projects cause they don’t think we can handle it.” Others expressed concern over the coaching staff: “there is no development, negative environment, personal attacks, 1/3 of the team walked away during the season.”
Seton Hall University
Athletes.org members had a tough time finding good things to say about Seton Hall, with their highest-rating average just breaking four stars. Most categories sat below that threshold, with the Nutrition category being a notable point of improvement for the school. One athlete reported, “the nutrition within the athletics building is not good. If they are going to promote that we have an athletes’ ‘refueling station’ to recruits, there should at least be food in there that isn’t rotten. Half of the time it is just empty.”
As the school year comes to a close, don’t forget to weigh-on on your college experience! The Athletes’ School Ratings stays open year-round, and members of Athletes.org can log in and rate their school at any time.
Curious about the complete rankings? Check out the full list: athletes.org/school-rating/.
