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In a bold move that I honestly never saw coming, the University of Chicago released their Common Data Set (CDS) giving applicants more information on how the University makes admissions decisions, among many other things.
The goal of the Common Data Set (CDS) initiative is the development of clear, standard data items and definitions in order to is to improve the quality and accuracy of information provided to all involved in a student’s transition into higher education.
To me, Common Data Sets are exciting because of the sheer amount of data they contain. Jump to Section C "First Time, First Year Freshmen" and you'll learn that UChicago received 17,513 applications from men compared to 20,445 applications from women but admitted 1,254 men and 1,206 women. Men enrolled at an 85% rate versus 82% for women indicating a slight preference for males but not a ton. Only about 12% of the enrolled class had a GPA below 3.7. In another (very) bold move, the University reported that of enrolled students 49% (1011 students) submitted the SAT while 35% (711) students submitted an ACT.
More so, when releasing this information, the universities must provide how they weight the various factors they use in making admissions decisions. In Hyde Park,
the factors listed as most important were application essays, recommendations, extracurricular activities, “rigor of secondary school record,” “talent/ability,” and “character/personal qualities.” No factors were weighted as “important,” and only one factor, interviews, was weighted as “not considered.” All other factors—including GPA, standardized test scores, class rank, first-generation status, relationship to alumni, and racial or ethnic identity—were listed as “considered.”
Over the two decades, the University of Chicago has been on a quest to become more selective. Releasing the information above explains how they have crafted their class each year as the college has reduced its acceptance rate 6-fold over the past decade from an astronomical 38% in 2006 to a microscopic 6.2% in 2020.
Remember that admissions offices are businesses at this point in the process. Their goal is to get more people to apply -- whether they are qualified or not. The way this info is presented is much more straightforward and understandable -- and important -- than any brochure you'll get in the mail. It just requires a bit more digging to understand it.
I'd encourage you to seek out the CDS for the schools you are considering so you have a clearer idea of what they prioritize when reading applications. Want to talk about how to do this? Schedule a meeting with me here.
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