Application Strategy
Guides and articles addressing application strategy, one of the common challenges students face during the admissions process.
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August 25, 2026
Why Virginia Tech's Acceptance Rate Runs Backwards
Virginia Tech admits out-of-state applicants at a higher rate than Virginians, but only because far fewer of them enroll. Virginians still take 62% of every class.
August 25, 2026
Penn State Admits 60% at University Park and 92%+ Everywhere Else
University Park admitted 60.56% of Fall 2024 applicants. Every other Penn State campus admitted 92% or more. The full 20-campus breakdown, from Penn State's own filings.
August 25, 2026
UNC Chapel Hill Admits In-State Applicants at Nearly 4 Times the Out-of-State Rate
UNC admitted 37.01% of in-state applicants and 9.63% of out-of-state applicants for Fall 2025. The published 16.72% rate blends both into one misleading number.
August 21, 2026
Which Colleges Give the Biggest ED Advantage
We ranked 14 schools by ED admit-rate advantage, from Northeastern's 11.2x edge to Rice's 1.5x, using each school's own Common Data Set.
August 21, 2026
Boston College's Acceptance Rate Isn't One Number
Boston College admitted 33.44% of Early Decision applicants versus 13.77% of everyone else, per BC's own Common Data Set filing.
August 21, 2026
BU's Real Acceptance Rate Splits Sharply by Round
Boston University admitted 31.35% of Early Decision applicants versus 11% of everyone else for Fall 2025, per BU's own Common Data Set.
August 21, 2026
What Brown Actually Admits, Round by Round
Brown admitted 16.46% of Early Decision applicants and 4.23% outside that round for the Class of 2030, from Brown's own admissions data.
August 21, 2026
Dartmouth's ED Rate Is 5.7x the RD Rate
Dartmouth admitted 21.62% of Early Decision applicants and 3.77% outside that round for the Class of 2029, per its own Common Data Set.
August 21, 2026
Duke's Real Acceptance Rate: ED vs. Regular Decision
Duke admits 12.6% Early Decision vs. 4.2% Regular Decision. Duke publishes only rates, not raw counts, and has no public Common Data Set.
August 21, 2026
Emory's Real Acceptance Rate Depends on the Round
Emory admitted 22.19% of Early Decision applicants versus 8.59% of everyone else for the Class of 2029, per Emory's own Common Data Set.
August 21, 2026
Georgia Tech's Real Gap Is Residency, Not Major
Georgia Tech admitted 13.34% of Fall 2025 applicants, but in-state admits were admitted at nearly 3x the out-of-state rate. See the real numbers.
August 21, 2026
Johns Hopkins' Real Acceptance Rate: ED vs. RD
Johns Hopkins admits 10.93% Early Decision vs. 5.25% Regular Decision, per its Common Data Set. Full breakdown, math shown, and the waitlist numbers.
