“Data Stories and Data Myths”

To the Editors:

In December of 2025, I wrote to The Amherst Student to pose a simple question to Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid Matthew McGann. Nearly two months later, I have yet to receive an answer.

While I am sure McGann is extremely busy, the question was quite small and I therefore wonder about his silence. Data does not speak for itself. We, practitioners of social science and data science, know that we have a duty to analyze data — to get it to speak — with an intent of revealing, understanding, and telling the truth.  We also know well that data can be used to obscure or distort, to tell something other than the truth. This is precisely why we have norms to shape responsible data work, practices that guide us to create reasonably accurate and honest data stories.

Based on publicly available information it is my belief that the Amherst College admissions data, if shared properly and accurately, would show that Amherst College has two separate admissions processes: One preferential track disproportionately benefiting a very privileged group, and one holistic and rigorous track for everyone else.

Please, could we be given the basic facts? What is the story? What explains the silence?

Jessica Wolpaw Reyes

Willard Long Thorp Professor of Economics