“Under matching” is a new term used to describe the phenomenon that occurs when students, to ensure their acceptance, attend less selective colleges than their academic achievements would permit. 

According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, under matching is becoming an increasingly troubling topic.

The worry is if students attend schools with lower standards when they could be doing better, they will not be performing to their highest potential.

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Several SIU students agreed they applied here because they felt it was a simple option and they could get in easily.

Taylor Stelter, a sophomore from Oak Park studying radiology, said she chose five universities to apply to, four of which she was sure she would accept her.

She said the classes and the program she is in fit her well.

“My classes are challenging already,” Stelter said. “I think I’m getting the right kind of education I need for my future where I am.”

Stelter said the price of school was a factor in where she went and contributed to her choice.

Misty Benes, a sophomore from Huntley studying biological sciences, said she picked SIU over the other two colleges she applied for because of its program for her major. She said she is very happy with her college selection, but believes the term under matching may apply to her.

“I think this school is very good for me,” Benes said. “But I also believe being at a different school might have changed my attitude and made me work harder.”

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Rae Goldsmith, the executive director of the chief marketing and communications office, said under matching has not seemed to be a problem at the university in general.

“Generally, we are considered selective, which means there are institutions that are more selective than we are and there are institutions less selective than we are,” Goldsmith said.

She said for high-achieving students, a school’s selectivity is just one aspect they look at. Others include the academic programs they offer, if it fits their specific needs, scholarships, campus life and such.

“One of the things that SIU does, because we are a research university, is make sure we have opportunities for students who are seeking opportunities to be in, such as research as early as freshman year,” she said.

Students who want to get the most out of their education have those abilities at SIUC, Goldsmith said. High-achieving students put in the effort to go as far in their education as they can and look at each aspect of a college, she said.

The university has had an increase in high-achieving students every year.

“Last year, we certainly saw an increase in the ACT score,” she said. “We are seeing similar kinds of signals for next year, so we are finding that higher-achieving students are finding a home here.”

The selectivity of schools varies. Where the percentage of students to those who apply is much smaller at Ivy League colleges, SIUC accepts about half of its applicants, Goldfield said.

She said there are different factors that determine a schools selectivity rate, and in those, the university is considered selective.

“As a tier one doctoral research university, we emphasize that high-achieving students among all students can be successful here because we have opportunities for them to, for example, do academic research really early in their academic careers,” she said.