{"id":37789,"date":"2017-06-18T06:30:39","date_gmt":"2017-06-18T13:30:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/?p=37789"},"modified":"2017-06-18T01:34:22","modified_gmt":"2017-06-18T08:34:22","slug":"accepteds-selectivity-index-are-you-asleep-when-you-apply-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/accepteds-selectivity-index-are-you-asleep-when-you-apply-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Accepted\u2019s Selectivity Index: Are You Asleep When You Apply?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Compare<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Check<\/a><\/p>\n

I once heard a story about a gentleman who was about to purchase a certain piece of land with the intention of building a school on that property. It was wartime, and the theater of war was rapidly approaching the region in which he and the property were located.<\/span><\/p>\n

A friend heard about his intended investment, and thought his friend had gone nuts.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow can you make this purchase now? Are you dreaming?\u201d he asked incredulously.<\/span><\/p>\n

Replied the real estate investor, \u201cI am dreaming, but I am not asleep.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Although I heard this story in a context far removed from graduate school admissions, I couldn\u2019t help but think that some of you are \u201casleep\u201d when you apply \u2013 at least the first time.<\/span><\/p>\n

Dreaming while asleep in admissions:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2022 Applying exclusively to schools where you are not competitive<\/b> based on the stats and available information. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022 Focusing on the one metric where you are either very strong or very weak<\/b>. Focusing on the one number that either makes you feel great or makes you feel terrible is another form of \u201capplying asleep.\u201d In either case, you fail to choose schools realistically and consequently \u201cinvest\u201d poorly in your overall application effort.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022 Ignoring weaknesses<\/b> when applying so that you fail to address or mitigate them.<\/span><\/p>\n

Applying \u201cawake\u201d while still allowing for your dreams means that you assess your competitiveness at your target schools by comparing your test scores and grades as well as the non-quantitative factors in your profile to the known stats and stated criteria of the schools you want to attend. <\/span><\/p>\n

Armed with this information, you:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2022 Apply to a few \u201cdream\u201d schools, but mostly to programs where you are competitive.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022 Assess your weaknesses or strengths in the context of your overall application so that you neither obsess over a weakness nor fail to provide positive reasons for acceptance.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022 You work to mitigate weaknesses before and during the actual application process while highlighting strengths and creating a strong case for acceptance<\/a> beyond the stats in your application.<\/span><\/p>\n

A few of you may be thinking:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know my chances aren\u2019t great at my target schools. But I\u2019m working and making good money. It doesn\u2019t pay for me to apply to any but these schools.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

There are some applicants in this situation. It\u2019s true, but there are very few. If you\u2019re one of them, you are applying rationally. If you aren\u2019t one of them and you could achieve your goals at programs where you are competitive, then well, you may be dozing\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

Introducing the Selectivity Index\u2122<\/strong><\/p>\n

Accepted has developed a new tool, the Selectivity Index\u2122, to help you apply realistically and effectively. The Selectivity Index takes the most recent <\/span>US News<\/span><\/i> rankings data and reflects the schools\u2019 average GPA, test scores, and acceptance rates so that you can assess the relative difficulty of acceptance. You can also order the schools by average test score, GPA or acceptance rate.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Check<\/a><\/p>\n

We focused on those key metrics not because they are solely determinative, because they are not, but they do mirror how difficult it is to gain acceptance to a school. They also suggest which schools may be focusing on a particular metric and which may not.<\/span><\/p>\n

Weaknesses in the Selectivity Index:<\/strong><\/p>\n

1.<\/strong> It doesn\u2019t reflect non-quantitative information, which plays a significant role in holistic admissions and can allow those with non-quantitative strengths to get in when those \u201cmore qualified\u201d per the stats are rejected.<\/span><\/p>\n

2.<\/strong> In doesn\u2019t reflect the schools\u2019 desire for diversity<\/a> in their classes and community.<\/span><\/p>\n

3.<\/strong> It doesn\u2019t reflect the importance of showing fit with an individual school\u2019s strengths, mission, and values.<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019m not sure if this is a strength or weakness, but the Selectivity Index does not measure or reflect ROI, educational quality, or career opportunity.<\/span><\/p>\n

Finally, while the Selectivity Index does reveal the relative level of competition at different programs, it doesn\u2019t excuse you from making sure that the schools where you are competitive also will help you achieve your goals. It does you no good to get into a program that won\u2019t that won\u2019t help you achieve your goals and realize your dreams.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Check<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Accepted<\/a><\/p>\n

Related Resources:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2022 Different Dimensions of Diversity<\/a>, a podcast episode
\n\u2022 6 Tips for Talking About Your Weaknesses<\/a>
\n\u2022 Should You Apply to a Safety School?<\/a><\/p>\n

This article<\/a>\u00a0originally appeared on\u00a0<\/i>blog.accepted.com<\/a>.<\/i><\/p>\n

Applying to a top b-school? The talented folks at Accepted have helped hundreds of applicants get accepted to their dream programs. Whether you are figuring out where to apply, writing your application essays, or prepping for your interviews, we are just a call (or click) away.<\/p>\n

Contact us, and get matched up with the consultant who will help\u00a0you\u00a0<\/i>get accepted<\/a>!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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