Reply to Idea - Lottery Preference for #1 Ranked School

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Reply to "Idea - Lottery Preference for #1 Ranked School"

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[quote=Anonymous]An idea: For future years, update the common lottery algorithm to add a new "preference" for the school you ranked #1.  Just like a sibling or in-bound preference, you would get a preference at the school you ranked #1 over all other applicants who did not rank that school #1.  This preference would come after all other preferences (so, you'd be after sibling, in-bound preferences, but before people who do not have any preference).

This helps more students get into the school they ranked #1.  It's fair because everybody can only put one single school in their #1 spot, so everybody gets to pick that one school they want this extra preference at.  If you don't get an initial match at your #1 school, you would still have a better wait list number at your #1 school than those who did not rank that school #1.

Some strategy involved.  If you put a school with a long wait list #1 (YY, MV, CMI, etc.), you are taking a bigger risk because while you have an improved chance to get into that school, you may end up "wasting" your #1 preference if you don't get in.  But, put a school with an average size wait list that likely would have fewer people giving it their #1 preference (maybe Haynes, Lee, etc.), then you are much more likely to get in.

I think adding this new preference would really help balance out some of the lotto luck that comes from having a common lottery where you get one and only one lotto #.  While it's adds one more wrinkle of complexity to school choice, its still simple enough that everybody can understand it, and shouldn't be too much difficulty to implement mathematically because the algorithm already is capable of handling preferences.

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