"Five-star ratings have been assigned to colleges in six categories, reflecting their scores for selectivity, student advancement (retention and graduation), prestige, costs (affordability), diversity and the demographic and economic strength of their surrounding communities. Forty-eight schools (the top 10 percent) received the highest rating of five stars in each category, down to 121 colleges (the bottom 25 percent) who were given a single star.
“No school earned five stars across the board. The University of Michigan received five in every classification but costs, where it drew four stars. A half-dozen other colleges were given five stars in five categories apiece — the universities of California, Florida, Maryland, North Carolina and Washington, and Pennsylvania State University.”