<p>First of all - some schools require photos to accompany the application, and those colleges tend to have more attractive students. The bias for attractive people has been well-documented in studies.</p>
<p>Second of all, I think it could be a consideration for some students - and not as a shallow thing. I would not be comfortable at a school where my size 4 figure makes me chunky and the girls spend hours primping every day. Then again, I like my skirts and wouldn't want to go somewhere that I would be looked at askance because I wasn't wearing tie-dye and dreds. </p>
<p>There are some really, really "beautiful people" on the undergrad side of my school. Perfect teeth, perfect figures, C-cups, and Ralph Lauren every day. Not for me to be among them - but there are people who would recognize those who share their values and habits and be comfortable around them.</p>