great LACs on the west coast?

xiggi
Mon, 08 Aug 2005 13:42:16 +0000

Mini said: “[Whitman] is slightly less selective than, say, Pomona”

If “slightly” represents a “rather small degree” and “selectivity” is still expressed in a combination of acceptance rates, percentages of students in top 10%, and SAT scores, this statement is simply inaccurate and misleading.

Pomona is easily one of the three or four most selective LAC’s with SAT average above 1450, an acceptance rate below 20%, and 80% of its freshmen class graduating in the top 10% of their class.

In comparison, Whitman SATs are barely above 1300, has a 50% in admission rate, and its frehsman class is in the 50% range for top 10% students. And that is NOT a slight difference at all!

A better comparison for selectivity would rank Whitman between Wellesley and Smith, and at the level of Grinnell or Reed.