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<p>Not sure on what basis you’re drawing the line at 100 research universities and 50 LACs. I’d say it’s either more like 50 of either kind, or 100 of either kind, but I just don’t see the LACs dropping off faster than the research universities. Once you get to research U’s ranked about #55 and higher, admit rates in the 60%, 70%, and 80% range become the norm rather than the exception. The same is true for LACs. And if you look at the middle 50% SAT/ACT scores, the #50 through #100 LACs seem to attract equally if not better-credentialed students—though overall it’s pretty close.</p>
<p>Here are the middle 50% scores of some representative LACs: #57 Wheaton (IL) 26-32; #57 Willamette 1140-1340; #68 Kalamazoo College 26-31; #71 Lewis & Clark 1180-1375; #81 Gustavus Adolphus 25-29; #81 Muhlenberg 1120-1340; #90 St. Mary’s (MD) 1118-1330; #94 Hope College 24-29.</p>
<p>And here are the middle 50% scores of some representative research Us in the same #50-#100 range: #55 Ohio State 26-30; #58 UConn 1130-1310; #68 Clemson 1140-1330; #71 Iowa 23-28; #82 Auburn 24-30; #82 Vermont 1085-1280; #94 Colorado 23-28; #97 Texas Christian 1050-1280.</p>
<p>I agree with the general thrust of your comment, though: CC is dominated by people obsessed with getting into the top 10 of either category; or barring that, the top 25; or barring that, the top 50. A subgroup is looking at schools in the #50 to #100 range. Very little discussion of any school outside the top 10% of all colleges and universities in the United States.</p>