<p>Do colleges compare male and female applications separately? Even if they are from the same school?<br>
A friend of mine told me this, but it doesn't seem quite right...</p>
<p>I doubt they’re officially separated and then evaluated, but it’s worth noting that because more women apply, the acceptance rate (at least at very selective colleges - I’m thinking Harvard, Princeton, etc) is usually slightly lower.</p>
<p>I agree with Elanorci</p>
<p>Applying as a gender that is not popular for some programs will certainly give them a boost in the admissions process. A female engineer, for example, perhaps would have an easier time getting in than a male (same goes for admissions at many “institute of technology” schools, as they have lopsided male/female rates).</p>
<p>And at many LACs, because they usually don’t have engineering, there tends to be more female applicants than male. Schools want to maintain a 50/50 ratio to the extent possible, so it can be (slightly) easier for guys to get into these places. Vassar is always mentioned as an example of a school with a significant gender imbalance that it attempts to correct with a lower admissions bar for the men. Based on the school visit we did, there were 3 guys and 7 girls on the tour so that seems accurate.</p>