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.
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.
Since this fall I will be applying to college in the USA, I have compiled a hefty list of colleges based on the following criteria:
-4-year school;
-co-ed or all men;
-Biology major;
-"full-ride" financial aid available.
The problem's that I have quite a lot of choices, hundreds, as a matter of fact. So how should I narrow down my list even further, given that I don't care about other stuff, such as campus size or location?
Moreover, to how many colleges should I apply? As far as I know, mpst people apply to 6-9 colleges, but some even apply to 20! I guess that by applying to as many colleges possible, my chances of admission go up. But, I probably won't have time to write hundreds of admission essays, or the money to send in my application to all these colleges.
Lastly, as my objective is to gain admission somewhere, should I only apply to colleges with acceptance rates above a certain percentage? What should that percentage be?
If anyone would like to take this in private, I'd be more than happy to receive some advice from any member of the community!