Selective area growth (SAG) of semiconductors is a scalable method for fabricating gate-controlled quantum platforms. This letter reports on the adatom diffusion, incorporation, and desorption mechanisms that govern the growth rates of SAG nanowire (NW) arrays. We propose a model for the crystal growth rates that considers two parameter groups: the crystal growth control parameters and the design parameters. Using GaAs and InGaAs SAG NWs as a platform, we show how the design parameters such as NW pitch, width, and orientation have an impact on the growth rates. We demonstrate that by varying the control parameters (i.e., substrate temperature and beam fluxes) source, balance, and sink growth modes may exist in the SAG selectivity window. Using this model, we show that inhomogeneous growth rates can be compensated by tuning the design parameters.