<p>tiers are figured quatitatively but the statistics used are subjective in that USNWR makes its determination of what the most important factors are and their idea of what is important may not coincide precisely with the needs and desires of the individual student. What I mean to say is that though a school may be ranked as second, third or even fourth tier, it may meet the needs of the individual student better than a school ranked much higher.</p>
<p>For example, say a student is well qualified statistics wise for a top tier school. However say this student wants to attend a school with fewer than 4000 students in an urban area but where she also has ample opportunites for outdoor recreation, community involvement and a very active Jewish community/Hillel. Say she further wants a very specific major that isn’t offered at any tier one school which meets the above criteria. Her best match may be a school which is a fourth tier safety. </p>
<p>The goal is to find the schools which best meet the needs of the prspective student. If those schools happen to have the prestige of a tier one that’s cool if not that’s cool too because there is so much more than ranking that should go into the college decision.</p>
<p>My twin daughters have lists of schools which range from a tier one LAC to a third tier LAC to an unranked state university. That’s just the way it worked out when they started hunting for what they wanted.</p>