How Much Does Acceptance Rate Really Matter..

<p>..when determining a school's actual selectivity?</p>

<p>Couldn't it often just mean that there are more 'dumb people' applying to a more 'popular school'?</p>

<p>Let's compare Duke and Georgetown.</p>

<p>Georgetown had an acceptance rate of 20.8%.
Duke had an acceptance rate of 23.0%.</p>

<p>This would indicate that Georgetown is more selective than Duke, right?
Not exactly!</p>

<p>Georgetown has a 25th-75th SAT score range of 1300-1490. Good, but not one of the best.
Some schools like Duke beat Georgetown's range by a lot! </p>

<p>Duke has a 25th-75th SAT score range of 1340-1540! Duke beats Georgetown by forty points for 25th percentile and fifty points for 75th percentile.</p>

<p>Evidence seems to indicate that despite Georgetown's lower acceptance rate that Duke is the more selective school in the end because it has a more academically qualified student body.</p>

<p>So why do so many people simply focus on acceptance rate when talking about schools and their selectivity and don't look at the whole big picture?</p>

<p>There could simply be more dumb people applying to Georgetown than Duke OR Georgetown practices more yield protection.</p>

<p>If I don't get into Columbia ED, I plan to apply to both of the schools and would be happy with attending either one.
I don't really favor one school over the other- since I haven't got in to either school yet. I am just curious, since from past years, it seemed that most people from my school who attended Georgetown didn't get into Duke/Penn/Brown/Dartmouth/Columbia.. those schools.</p>

<p>"dumb people"?</p>

<p>"dumb people": People who apply who are clearly not going to get into these schools- lacking hooks and the academic qualifications necessary to get in. Since all the Ivies and the other top schools have a 'name' to them, there are a LOT of these people applying to these colleges.</p>

<p>you should look at more than acceptance rates. you should also look at more than mid sat's ranges.</p>

<p>have you looked at this? Duke</a> University Admissions: Class of 2010 Profile
it gives a much more detailed breakdown regarding the stats of those accepted. a lot of people in the top 10 in their class or the top 5% of their class are being rejected -- not just the "dumb" applicants. though application chances do seem to drop A LOT once you get below top 5%, being in the top 5% (or even top 10 students in your class) still only seems to give you about a one in three shot at being accepted.</p>

<p>i couldn't find info for georgetown with a similar breakdown. unfortunately not all schools make this type of info readily available -- because its only info like the above info for duke that really helps you see just how difficult admission at selective schools can be.</p>

<p>I don't think a fifty point SAT difference is enough to compare the "dumbness" or intelligence of an incoming class. I can catch a cold during a test and drop fifty points or more.</p>

<p>^^Yea I agree...I don't think there is any difference (intellecutally) between a 1300 and a 1340. What's that, like one or two questions?</p>

<p>dude
Sats are definently NOT the selection basis just a small fraction which changes for every application.
people with 730 Math2 are in MIT
and i know people with 2300s both in sats (1 & 2) who didnt make it in even the good if not the best palces.</p>

<p>Applicants are self selecting to a large extent. Chicago is the best example of this as they long have had much higher acceptance rates than the quality of their student body would suggest.</p>

<p>Though I must say until I started reading CC I did not understand how many unqualified kids apply to top colleges.</p>

<p>It's the whole philosophy about reaching to the top- if you can magically get in- you are a 'great person'.
Every dumbass in my school applied to Ivies.</p>