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Let's not forget that Chicago is almost certainly offering special help to 'at-risk' students (read "affirmative action"), too, which is reprehensible. While I was in school, black students were taught in separate classes by the same professors a second time (after our professors lectured to the entire section), so that they would know where to focus on the exams. I found out about this when a black student in my section told me he could not join my study group because he sheepishly admitted he 'had to go to class,' which he knew I didn't attend and was not allowed to attend, though we were in the same section and took all the same classes--but this special tutoring class, of course. Scholar-athletes (a laughable term) are often given the same consideration.

If there was no drop in standards and requirements, it would be largely because the academically underqualified are given extra consideration. However, there is VERIFIABLY a drop in standards and requirements, and this is shown in the inflation of grades nationwide and the high dropout/low graduation rate of the underqualified students accepted to highly rated colleges and universities. They simply are not ready for the silver platter handed them because liberals wanted them given a place at the table instead of making them earn it. And they leave as a result.

However, there is VERIFIABLY a drop in standards and requirements, and this is shown in the inflation of grades nationwide and the high dropout/low graduation rate of the underqualified students accepted to highly rated colleges and universities.

Fortunately U of Chicago has not been subject to the grade inflation rampant at such places as Harvard. I know for a fact that when U of Chicago undergraduates apply for medical school, those medical schools look at the U of C grades, which are, on average, lower than those nationwide, and make an adjustment upwards for a more accurate comparison between applicants.

Another mark of the academic rigor of the U of Chicago is its relatively high drop-out/transfer-out rate. U.S. News and World Report cites this as a negative in order to drop U of Chicago relative to places like Harvard and Yale. However, those who are able to make it through the program get a very good education because they have what it takes to produce what is required.

Unfortunately, it appears that the school is rushing to abandon what has made the U of Chicago unique. They are dismantling the Core that was required of every student. They are trying to vastly increase the number of applicants while talking about reducing the number of professors. This, in turn, will result in larger class sizes and more classes taught by graduate students instead of the professors. I don't know where they're going to put all the people since most of the classrooms are really small. They are trying to solicit more applications that they can, in turn, reject so that the US News and World Report will raise U of C's score (for some reason USN&WR uses rejection rate as an indication of how "good" a school is; thus, a school with a 50% acceptance rate wouldn't be classified by them as good a school as another school, all other things being equal, that had a 25% acceptance rate of applicants). Alumni are PISSED OFF. Some are even talking legal action and sequestering alumni donations until such time as the board comes to its senses. The board ought to realize that bigger and being like everyone else is not necessarily better.