Acceptance rate doesn't mean anything!

[Anonymous]

The whole idea behind acceptance rate is exclusivity but the schools are no more exclusive than they were before. Optional test scores and common app just increased the number of apps hence the lower and lower acceptance rate every year. Most kids who are applying to these schools and schools boasting the increased number of applicants are just marketing gimmicks. Most apps do not survive the automated screening. If your DC did not get into one of these exclusive schools that is because of a number of factors including the fact that the entire application process is arbitrary and completely broken.

[Anonymous]

Yes. We all know that now. That's why NYT DIY ranking is useful. Families can set their own priorities and see what schools might be good for the student, not just what schools are "good."

[Anonymous]

Also a quarter to half of apps are international students where acceptance rates are single digits- most of them are just lottery tickets where they are hoping to get in with a full ride. International apps have been surging; domestic have been flattish. Schools rarely break this out but some do and you can see the pattern

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The whole idea behind acceptance rate is exclusivity but the schools are no more exclusive than they were before. Optional test scores and common app just increased the number of apps hence the lower and lower acceptance rate every year. Most kids who are applying to these schools and schools boasting the increased number of applicants are just marketing gimmicks. Most apps do not survive the automated screening. If your DC did not get into one of these exclusive schools that is because of a number of factors including the fact that the entire application process is arbitrary and completely broken.

What exactly is meant by “automated screening”

[Anonymous]

Withdrawn apps (like if a kid gets in somewhere else ED) also probably registers an an app

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also a quarter to half of apps are international students where acceptance rates are single digits- most of them are just lottery tickets where they are hoping to get in with a full ride. International apps have been surging; domestic have been flattish. Schools rarely break this out but some do and you can see the pattern

Nearly all international students are full-pay and tend to be wealthier than the domestic students...why would you ever think otherwise. Why do you think they want the international applicants.

[Anonymous]

I don't think a larger percentage of the applications are an automatic reject. How can that be with TO and inflated GPAs?

[Anonymous]

Same number of seats, same number of students... a bit less predictable for about 3% of all colleges but same as it ever was for most.

[Anonymous]

My alma mater, University of Iowa, has a straightforward admissions formula that is public. It has a very high admissions percent but it frankly should be even higher because people should have a dang good idea they’re not getting in before they apply!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also a quarter to half of apps are international students where acceptance rates are single digits- most of them are just lottery tickets where they are hoping to get in with a full ride. International apps have been surging; domestic have been flattish. Schools rarely break this out but some do and you can see the pattern

Nearly all international students are full-pay and tend to be wealthier than the domestic students...why would you ever think otherwise. Why do you think they want the international applicants.

The single digit percentage who get accepted are full pay. Get it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My alma mater, University of Iowa, has a straightforward admissions formula that is public. It has a very high admissions percent but it frankly should be even higher because people should have a dang good idea they’re not getting in before they apply!

+1
Schools that are more predictable with their admissions --e.g. they are public with it or their test scores reflect a narrow high range and not many students apply test optional often have higher acceptance rates because there are fewer unlikely applicants. Schools that want to lower their acceptance rate start becoming unpredictable--they accept some students with lower than anticipated scores, they turn away some top students etc. This makes a wider group of students think they have a shot at the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The whole idea behind acceptance rate is exclusivity but the schools are no more exclusive than they were before. Optional test scores and common app just increased the number of apps hence the lower and lower acceptance rate every year. Most kids who are applying to these schools and schools boasting the increased number of applicants are just marketing gimmicks. Most apps do not survive the automated screening. If your DC did not get into one of these exclusive schools that is because of a number of factors including the fact that the entire application process is arbitrary and completely broken.

What exactly is meant by “automated screening”

AI or other tools screen out apps below a certain GPA and/or test score.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The whole idea behind acceptance rate is exclusivity but the schools are no more exclusive than they were before. Optional test scores and common app just increased the number of apps hence the lower and lower acceptance rate every year. Most kids who are applying to these schools and schools boasting the increased number of applicants are just marketing gimmicks. Most apps do not survive the automated screening. If your DC did not get into one of these exclusive schools that is because of a number of factors including the fact that the entire application process is arbitrary and completely broken.

What exactly is meant by “automated screening”

AI or other tools screen out apps below a certain GPA and/or test score.

Some UCs are using these tools. Expect a UCB bloodbath this evening for most DMV private kids with massive weighted GPA lift

Also international kids are often shotgunning apps. That does increase numbers massively. They understand and perpetuate the lottery aspect of this.

[Anonymous]

yea and diamond are not better than pearls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Withdrawn apps (like if a kid gets in somewhere else ED) also probably registers an an app

They do. I learned a lesson with DC1. We applied to a rolling in September, check. Then applied to an ED. THEN, out of panic or not knowing any better, or even laziness since we were in the thick of it already and didn't want to have to go back, we applied to all of the other schools EA.

That was a waste of $600. DC1 got into the rolling and ED. When withdrawing the other apps, DC1 asked if their app would be used in the numbers and all of those in the respective admissions offices happily told them that they would be.