<p>Why HYPS? Is Stanford much better than the other Ivies not mentioned? Surely Stanford's acceptance rate (around 12% I think) isn't higher than, say, Columbia's. Just curious as to why people always seem to be referring to HYPS and not, say, HYPC.</p>
<p>Part of the HYPS thing is just that the acronym actually spells something. It looks/sounds likes HYPES, as in there's a lot of hype around those colleges. HYPC doesn't really makes sense. I also think people have just started adding the "S" for the hell of it. HYP (which looks and sounds more like hype) really is the cream of the crop. Harvard, Princeton, Yale are always at the top. Whatever, considereing Columbia College's acceptance rate, it should probably be CHY. Whatever. Stanford sucks. Haha</p>
<p>Yeah, Columbia College had a lower acceptance rate than Stanford this year. Columbia was 9.6% (there was an article posted on here back when results came out) and Stanford was about 12% like you said.</p>
<p>It's only HYPS because kids on message boards say it so. There's also HYPSCM or something of that sort to put MIT and Caltech on par with HYPS. It's all a crock. Columbia sometimes has a lower acceptance rate than both Yale and Stanford, FWIW.</p>
<p>acceptance rate doesnt determine how good a school is.</p>
<p>Obviously not. OP mentioned selectivity.</p>
<p>HYP are probably the 3 most prestigious "name brands" in higher education. S is clearly not on par with that. Columbia probably isn't either.</p>