<p>I'm no statastician, but 34.9% seems to be a pretty significant drop. I guess the jump in applications does amount to something, huh?</p>
<p>I'm surprised at the discrepancy between the EA and RD acceptance rates this year, since Libby said at last semester that percentages are usually the same. Makes me glad I applied early, heh.</p>
<p>Interesting. I can't help but wonder how low the acceptance rate will plunge next year...yikes! Hopefully, Common App or no, Chicago will be able to preserve its self-selective nature and not fall to the traps of elitism (crosses fingers)... Anyway, I think it's pretty cool that it can have such a relatively un-low acceptance rate and still be ranked as equals with Columbia and Dartmouth. :)</p>
<p>If you'll look even more closely, the rates dropped more than what it would appear.</p>
<p>"For last year’s incoming class—the class of 2010—9,542 students applied and 3,673 were accepted, at an acceptance rate of 38 percent."</p>
<p>Do the division, and you'll see that this is actually 38.49%, .01% away from what could've been called 39%. (It's odd that 34.9% wasn't rounded to 35% or that 38% wasn't taken to 38.5%, since numbers are usually taken to the same amount of decimal places when compared.) So instead of a 3% decrease in admittances, it's actually closer to a 3.65%, which is, in such small percentages, a pretty large difference.</p>
<p>I look for about a 32% or 33% acceptance rate next year. I don't see this as particularly awful, however, as accepting 1/3 of the students doesn't really mean you have to be elite to gain admittance. You should start worrying when the figure gets to around 20%, which shouldn't happen for a while.</p>
<p>Acceptance rate does not necessarily reflect the quality of the student body. Plenty of Chicago denials are admitted at schools with far lower acceptance rates.</p>