<p>The shift at Chicago started some years ago.</p>
<p>First, they started emphasizing undergrad education a bit more, including developing more of a campus life - hence the new dorms. Some might argue the first real shift was lightening up the core.</p>
<p>Then they fixed the stats reporting to USNWR which lifted UofC into the top ten. </p>
<p>These things have led to an increase in applications, which in turn feeds on itself. </p>
<p>On top of that, fewer students report back to their HS about UofC being an unhappy place. That did happen years ago. As a matter of fact, few alums from 20+ years ago want their own kids to go to UofC. That has now changed. It is a different place.</p>