How Big Data transformed applying to college

College admissions offices recently started using predictive algorithms to analyze and profile individual-student behavior using information submitted by students on applications as well as social media data.  This content is to determine the student’s likelihood to enroll, the extent to which financial aid will be needed, define incentives needed to lure the interest of a particularly well-off applicant, and the odds for a student to reach graduation.  All this effort is aimed at the prized outcome of increased college ranking – but the result is very miserable high school students, living on the edge of scrutiny with more concern than ever about the unknown opportunity in their future.  Read the slate.com article drawn from Cathy O’Neil’s book Weapons of Math Destruction.