I think the value rankings are totally useless for families and students starting the selection process, since they just use averages for financial awards. If your EFC is zero, certainly HYPS would offer the best value (if you can get in!), whereas if your EFC is higher than COA, you must use absolute costs and/or possible merit aid to determine value. Every one between those two extremes would also find those rankings oversimplified and pointless in their decision making.
The only purpose I can see for those rankings is to give schools on the list bragging rights and
PR opportunities.