<p>The problem with when you just quote acceptance rates, people then just make the assumption it is easier and the standards must be lower. Just stating acceptance rates does not say anything about:</p>
<p>– the size of the applicant pools (vastly different);
– the quality of the applicants across the two applicants pools (ED pool tends to have a higher percentage of stronger applicants than RD pool);
– the policy of whether an acceptance rate is a pre-set rate, or variable (Hopkins does not set a 40+% acceptance rate for ED, as it is based on quality of the pool – if there is a weaker ED applicant pool than the acceptance rate will drop);
– the number of recruited athletes in the ED pool (as a DIII school it is in the best interest of coaches and the Admissions office to encourage recruits to apply ED);
– etc.</p>
<p>I have had so much experience with students just looking at acceptance rates and making huge assumptions about the lessening of standards if one decides to apply ED. The way I and my colleagues evaluates an ED applicant is the same way we evaluate an RD applicant, except we have a bit more time to review the application.</p>
<p>And finally, at this time Hopkins has no desire to grow our ED applicant pool and we are not going to start stating something just to boost numbers.</p>