Mississippi State University fell for the fourth consecutive year to 387th in Forbes magazine’s annual rankings of the top colleges in America, after being ranked 368th in 2010, 265th in 2009 and 227th in 2008.
The drop comes as a shock to students and faculty given the increase MSU has seen over the last two years in the number of students as well as the amount of money donated to the university.
Jerry Gilbert, provost and executive vice president of MSU, said the parameters Forbes uses, such as RateMyProfessor.com and MyPlan.com, are more student evaluations and do not necessarily give the rankings much merit.
“When you consider the criteria used in the Forbes overall college, university ranking, Mississippi State’s current ranking does not overly concern me,” he said.
Gilbert said MSU has been listed as one of 108 institutions in the nation classified as a research university and as one of 30 land grant universities.
He said the family atmosphere MSU brings to each individual is what makes campus special.
“I believe the term ‘the People’s University’ appropriately connotes the accepting and open nature of MSU. Everyone can find a place and fit in at MSU,” Gilbert said.
Tyler Raborn, recent MSU graduate and law student at Tulane University, said he has seen little change in MSU’s academic quality but has noticed a change in the push for recruiting. 
“We have made a push to increase our enrollment, and thus, possibly given up a little on the admission standards,” he said. “There are several factors outside of Mississippi State’s control that possibly contribute to the lower ranking. From test scores to job placement, MSU does not quite have the national recognition of other schools.  But, in comparison, the people skills most MSU graduates walk away with are invaluable.  Rankings will never be able to account for that.”
Sarah Beth James, communication major, said she also believes there are factors MSU cannot control but said there are ways to get the word out about this campus.
 ”Mississippi State has a lot to offer. The drop in rankings is not in response to a lack of quality or progress but rather a lack of publicity and conversation,” she said. “By getting the word out to those outside the Mississippi State community about the many things Bulldog Country has to offer, we can enhance the image, ranking and recruiting of MSU. ”
James said she wants others to know about MSU’s growing international student population, advancements in research and technology and the pride students experience by joining the MSU family.
 MSU President Mark Keenum said he is excited to see how far MSU has come since becoming president.
“MSU offers a warm, welcoming, nurturing atmosphere where individuals of all backgrounds can feel comfortable and excel,” he said.
Raborn said he hopes people will realize what makes MSU so different from other universities.
“One thing I wish everyone could truly understand about Mississippi State is that the social dynamic is so much different (in a positive way) than any other university,” he said.  “When asked why students like Mississippi State, they often say, ‘the people,’ and that’s such a vague, subjective description of an incredible social environment.  It is honestly not something a person can understand until they are exposed to it for an extended period of time.”
From alumni to students, Keenum and Gilbert both said they believe MSU is on the fast track to becoming a nationally-recognized university.
“Parents recognize that the quality of the programs that are offered here are spectacular as far as the education a young person can receive. Whatever path a student wants to pursue, we have a program to help that person to get where they want to be. We are the comprehensive university in the state,” Keenum said.
Gilbert said MSU is a special place for students.
“Every single person that comes to our campus expresses recognition of the beauty of the campus and a greater appreciation of what we have at MSU,” he said.