<p>"Top universities such as many in the Ivy League will explain the Pell Grant statistics in terms of the limited academic qualifications of most low-income students. Yet one asks, Why is the percentage of low-income students enrolled at so many Ivy League colleges one half the rate of low-income students at highly selective schools such as Amherst, Smith, Mount Holyoke, and Wellesley? </p>
<p>LOL, the answer is given ALMOSt verbatim in the first part of the statement: </p>
<p>The Ivy League will explain the Pell Grant statistics in terms of the MORE limited academic qualifications of most low-income students. </p>
<p>The admission statistics and selectivity of most of the schools listed (Smith College, Mount Holyoke, Barnard College, Wellesley, Oberlin College) are hardly comparable to the Ivy League schools'. Admissions rates of above 50%, ED admission rates of 60 or 80%, SAT scores hundreds of point lower, and top ten percent percentages lower by double digits are the norms at the schools commended for their Pell students. The schools have different student bodies and the differences stem from admission's performance. The students from the second group are not interchangeable with the Ivies, except for the so-called lower Ivies and only to a small extent. The Pell numbers reflect the different marketing strategies of the schools and the different target markets. The second group fills its class with students who were not accepted at Ivies. </p>
<p>Amherst College, on the other hand, is slightly different and does not belong in the listed group as its admission statistics are clearly superior. When compared to LACs with comparable selectivity, the Pell numbers are very similar.</p>