<p>I’m not sure the goal is to level the playing field either. I think a large part of the goal is to pay the salaries of the admissions office and that’s done by keeping the applications rolling in. I do think there are trends, or fads in admissions, and the latest one is economic diversity. THe next one will be international students. The enrollment managers know enough to look ahead at population trends and realize that applications from domestic students will drop as the population drops. They’ll try to boost numbers by encouraging more international applications. </p>
<p>I do hear what you’re saying, Rileydog. My story sounds just like yours. We live in the time we live in, for both good and bad. I don’t think your working is a joke on you. I think it’s a lesson that your children internalize. What would you have done instead? The older I get, the less I listen to things like “we’re not producing enough scientists in this country.” If encouraging science and math education were truly a goal, we’d see action. I just visited a top rated small university where intro classes have 300 students and I wonder why anyone would pay $45,000 for THAT. But people do. The school has a name that fits nicely on a car decal. I can read the rules and watch the game, and it’s up to me whether I choose to play or not. I play to an extent, but feel like it’s my choice and I can change my mind at any time. Admissions is whimsical and I’m not sure I’d believe it if I was told exactly how it works.</p>