<p>rlmmail - I think all schools “manipulate” numbers - Chicago included. In the beauty pageant that is US News, schools absolutely look to inflate their admissions numbers, appear more selective, and the like.</p>
<p>I used to receive mailings from the U of C encouraging me to contribute all the time, saying that no matter what I give, the alum participation rate is an important part of the US news rankings, and by giving, I can help our ranking. Same thing with admissions - Chicago should receive around 250000 applicants this year, and many, many will be automatic rejects. Chicago, just like all other top schools, looks to drum up applications to reject applicants.</p>