Selectivity of LACs

interesteddad
Thu, 18 Nov 2004 01:22:53 +0000

Here is how USNEWS ranks the selectivity of liberal arts colleges. Their ranking is comprised of SAT scores (50%), percentage of students in top 10% of high school class (40%), and acceptance rate (10%).

I think their selectivity ranks are a pretty decent rough guide (just ranking the median SAT scores would probably as accurate), but obviously “fit” will have a lot to do with it.

The women’s colleges are a good “admissions value” due to the smaller applicant pool – easier to get into than they should be given their academic excellence. Likewise, schools outside of the highly desireable Northeast tend to be better admissions values – again because the demand is somewhat lower.

BTW, Williams is #3, tied with Pomona and Harvey Mudd.

1 Swarthmore
2 Amherst
6 Haverford
8 Middlebury
11 Wesleyan
12 Bowdoin
12 Carleton
15 Wellesley
15 Vassar
17 Oberlin
18 Macalester
25 Bard
33 Reed
38 Smith
42 Mount Holyoke
56 Skidmore