falenas108 comments on Leaps of faith in college selection - Less Wrong

5 Post author: tomme 25 July 2012 03:23PM

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Comment author: falenas108 25 July 2012 05:15:57PM 3 points [-]

eg U of Chicago has a high admission rate because only well-qualified people tend to apply

Actually, in recent years the admission rate for U of C has gone down, for 2016 the rate was about 13%.

http://chicagomaroon.com/2012/04/13/college-has-lowest-acceptance-rate-ever-touting-caps-resources/

Comment author: Randaly 25 July 2012 09:28:09PM 0 points [-]

Thank you, fixed.

Comment author: TimS 25 July 2012 07:36:10PM 0 points [-]

Yes, the U of C used to be a place where only those who "fit" really well into the hyper-nerdy culture actually applied. Thus, the admission rate was about 60% when I applied - but people who wouldn't have fit in (and succeed academically) didn't seem to apply.

About when I graduated, the administration decided that the admission rate was bad for the college (presumably because it didn't fit with the school's ranking on the US News ranking). So the administration put some effort into broadening the applicant pool. As far as I can tell, the academic program is just as strong as ever, but the student body is much less "quirky."

I don't consider it an improvement, but just because the move was hostile to quirky nerds doesn't mean it was bad for the college as an institution.

Comment author: ahartell 26 July 2012 02:33:57AM 0 points [-]

I'm a bit sad that I'll be attending UChicago after it lost (or at least started trying to get rid of) its quirky nerd culture.

Comment author: falenas108 26 July 2012 09:17:44AM -1 points [-]

It's not really, "trying to get rid of it," it's more that losing the culture is a byproduct of expanding to the general population. For example, the admissions office sent me a scarf after I got accepted to the class of 2015, and those who had a birthday between acceptance and attending got a handwritten note from the admissions office.

They also encouraged "phoenixing,"which is this: http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lwitfzvflA1qh4kty.jpg

There are many pockets of quirkiness, it's just not prevalent throughout campus. Interestingly, the two largest dorms are the ones with the reputation for the least quirkiness (Max P and South), while the smallest ones have the most (Snitchcock, Breckinridge).

Comment author: RichardKennaway 26 July 2012 11:21:11AM 0 points [-]

They also encouraged "phoenixing,"which is this: http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lwitfzvflA1qh4kty.jpg

I see it, but what is it?

Comment author: falenas108 26 July 2012 11:33:21AM *  -1 points [-]

Posing like a phoenix in front of a camera. It's like planking, only UChicago specific, as the phoenix is our mascot. Bonus points for doing it at another college campus.

Comment author: Alicorn 26 July 2012 07:20:01PM *  1 point [-]

My sister did that after getting her acceptance to Chicago. This was recent, so apparently it's still a thing.