[dntbnmpls]

> I'm not sure I've ever had conversation where university rankings came up outside of specifically talking about where a high school student is thinking about applying.

Most high school students/parents/guidance counselors/etc check the rankings, reputation, average salary of graduates, etc. It even extends to majors and rankings within majors - which might matter more.

> Even then it's not like it's common for people to pick which school to go to out of the ones that accepted them based solely on rankings.

Who said solely? Of course there are many other factors ( location, tuition, scholarships, etc ). But rankings/reputation/etc are a big part of a high schooler's college decision.