how to understand acceptance rates

[pikaçu]

hi, i have a question 

 

when you google a university' s name + acceptance rate, you get a percentage.

 

for example, University of Wisconsin' s acceptance rate is 47%

whereas Tufts University' s rate is 17%

can we conclude that acceptance to wisc. is easier? (for grad application)

 

how to interpret these rates,

thank you in advance

 

 

[ginagirl]

There's a good chance those numbers could be just for undergraduate admissions, but it's also possible those are numbers calculated across both undergrad and graduate programs. Either way, they're probably not very helpful numbers for you to know in terms of how to choose programs to apply to or to figure out what your chances might be. You will need to do a bit more searching on the specific graduate department websites to learn about their admissions guidelines and expectations.

[ExponentialDecay]

Those are undergraduate acceptance rates, so to you they are irrelevant.

[Jay's Brain]

Yes, I would suggest going directly into the departmental section of the institutes' website. A lot of schools show historical trends as a way to bolster their records. If you don't find anything you're looking for, definitely shoot them an email to ask for more clarification. Usually, they are more than happy to provide you with the number of applicants and successful acceptances they receive.

 

Good luck!

[GeoDUDE!]

Acceptance rates are also kinda useless in a lot of PhD admissions. for some fields, its all about funding that year and how many students apply to work with a particular professor.

 

Also, why is this in the GRE forum?

[TakeruK]

It is really hard to properly interpret these rates because they almost always include such small numbers that you can't really say there is much statistical difference between 8% and 20%. Then, combined with factors that GeoDUDE! mentioned, there's no way to separate factors like "how competitive the school is" and things that vary randomly each year and is out of your control. 

 

Therefore, I would not use acceptance rates to help make graduate school application decisions. 

[GREMasterEMPOWERRichC]

Hi Picacu,

 

Assuming you have the proper information about the Schools that interest you, you probably have a better sense of the level of competition involved in receiving an invitation to attend each specific Program. However, those numbers really don't matter to what YOU have to do to apply. You have no control over any of the other applicants - you can only impact your own application. To that end, you have to invest time and energy (and likely some money) into improving the areas of your application that you can (primarily - your GRE score and Essays/Personal Statements). Your goal is to have the strongest overall application that you can AND present yourself properly to the Admissions Committees. 

 

Have you taken the GRE yet?

When are you planning to apply to School?

Do you know which Schools you plan to apply to?

 

GRE Masters aren't born, they're made,

Rich

[pikaçu]

Exactly. I know what schools want but I wonder if it would be a better strategy to choose the schools whose location is not that good when compared to their success. I will apply 12 of top 100 universities in US. And I think among these universities choosing the ones, that have a good academic environment but far away from coast or city center would more likely accept my appl.

Am i going wrong?

I will apply this year, and take gre on september.

Thank you (all)

Pikacu

[Eigen]

You're overthinking strategy. 

 

Apply to schools where you have a good fit for your research interests, and where you realistically have a good shot at getting in. 

 

Ideally these are also in places you would be OK living. 

 

Trying to "game" where would be more likely to accept you because they might/might not have more applications isn't a good idea, imo.

[pikaçu]

Convinced, i am leaving the details, and will try my best with Gre on Sept.

[GREMasterEMPOWERRichC]

Hi Pikacu,

 

The process to earn a Grad Degree involves such a significant amount of time, money and energy on your part that you should be looking to apply to Schools/Programs that best match YOUR end career goals. Of course the process will be competitive - it SHOULD be. That's part of what makes a valuable Degree so valuable. If you just want to increase your chances at getting an invite, then you should apply to the 'worst' Schools available... but I'm going to assume that that's not really your goal.

 

It's understandable that you'd want to apply to Schools that might offer a better chance at an invite, but those can be your 'safety' Schools (just don't let those Schools know that). Define the Schools that you're really interested in and start there.

 

GRE Masters aren't born, they're made,

Rich