Let's quibble over semantics: what do we really mean by "highly selective" (Ex: Pitzer v Williams)?

T26E4
Fri, 22 Apr 2016 17:35:57 +0000

The problem lies when people view “selective” as synonymous with “better” without deeper investigation.

Your problem isn’t the word “selective” because in your scenario of school w/12% admit rate vs. another with 17%, the first school IS more selective by definition.

Your problem is with peoples’ un-informed and automatic linking “selective” as equivalent to “better”

Selectivity describes chances of acceptance or even “popularity” or even “elite”. Highly sought after items probably warrant investigation as to what’s so attractive – perhaps the mob does see something that can be valuable to me. But it doesn’t automatically confer “quality” to the discerning e.g “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” is certainly popular and one can argue has reached an elite or highly selective status – but…