@Much2learn : I agree with everything you said. In the article referenced by sparkyleo, the admisions office, “… is hoping that the acceptance rate will fall below 30 percent, as Lehigh will look better as an institution if it has a lower acceptance rate…If the acceptance rate does go below 30 percent, admission into Lehigh will become much more competitive.” We will know in time whether 25.5 or 29% is the final number, but I was just guessing 29 since it gets to the sub 30% threshold.
Sadly, you are correct about the strategic goals of getting below 30%, making the school look ‘more attractive.’ This trend forces all schools to engage in admissions practices that serve the institutional interests but (in my view) are not positive for high school seniors. Frank Bruni wrote a brilliant spoof on this in the NY Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/30/opinion/college-admissions-shocker.html?_r=0