USNWR 2009: Looking at the Top Strata III (RD and ED Acceptance Rates)

<p>hawkette,
sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but I don’t think these figures are right. I looked at the US News data for several schools my D is interested in. I think the figure you’re reporting as “RD acceptance rate” is the figure reported in US News as “Fall 2007 acceptance rate”—that is, the total or “blended” acceptance rate combining both RD and ED applications. In other words, (total ED + RD acceptances)/(total RD + ED applications).</p>

<p>Since in every case except (anomalously) Carnegie Mellon, the ED acceptance rate is higher than the total acceptance rate, the actual RD acceptance rate must be lower than the rate you report. The U.S. News online edition has a line for “acceptance rate excluding EA and ED students” (in other words, the RD rate), but that line is blank for each of these schools.</p>

<p>Just how much lower is the RD rate than the total acceptance rate you report? Can’t tell from the data reported in US News. It would depend on how many slots they actually fill from ED applications.</p>

<p>Here’s one example: Penn reports on their website that for the class of 2011, they had 22,646 applicants, of which they accepted 3,637 (16.1%).
But this includes 4,001 ED applicants, of which they accepted 1,178 (29.4%). But that means there were 18,645 RD applicants (22,646 total applicants - 4,001 ED applicants), of which they accepted only 2,459 (3,637 total acceptances - 1,178 ED acceptances). That gives you a RD acceptance rate of 13.2% — NOT the 16.1% you report. So the difference between RD and ED for Penn is actually 16% (29%-13%), not the 13% you report.</p>