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Why more competitive? Basic math. Kids apply to more schools. Why do they apply to more schools? Because the schools have gotten more competitive.
by throwawaymaths 3y ago
Why more competitive? Basic math. Kids apply to more schools. Why do they apply to more schools? Because the schools have gotten more competitive.
- hw-guy 3y agoThe correlary to that is that the "yield" goes down for all but the very most competitive colleges, so colleges have to build longer waitlists to ensure a full class. And more uncertainty for everybody.
- throwawaymaths 3y agoThat's nonlinear. Because if schools get more competitive also fewer kids get into more than one.
- esafak 3y agoYou stopped short: why did they get more competitive? Because demand is outstripping the supply of desirable schools. Second tier schools need to improve their offering, and burnish their prestige, which takes time.
- throwawaymaths 3y agoI don't think there's a satisfactory monolithic reason for this. Maybe it's questions all the way down until, why do the common people need to get good jobs/hobnob with the upper classes? Because central banking policy of inflation?