Question: College admissions. For high school students graduating in 2007, college admissions to the nation's most selective schools were the most competitive in memory. (The New York Times, A Great Year for Ivy League Schools, but Not So Good for Applicants to Them, April 4, 2007). Harvard accepted about 9% of its applicants, Stanford 10%, and Penn 16%. Jorge has applied to all three. Assuming that he ‘a typical applicant, he figures that his chances of getting into both Harvard and Stanford must be about 0.09%.
a) How has he arrived at this conclusion?
b) What additional assumption is he making?
c) Do you agree with his conclusion?