It’s been almost 3 months since I’ve had my interview at Andover, so I assume it’s too late to send a letter to my interviewer telling them Andover is my first choice. But I heard that it’s good to let the Admissions Office know you will go if accepted, so they can make sure their yield rate is safe. Should I just not do anything? I’m open to all suggestions, thanks!
@M0hammad, to be honest I’m not sure what you should do I do want to add however that Andover is pretty much almost everyone’s first choice and they typically have no problem producing a high yield so will sending an email benefit your application? In my opinion, it probably won’t but I would love to here what others have to say as well.
I wouldn’t worry about contacting them. If yield management becomes an issue, they will contact you. The one exception would be if you were a sought after athlete - then you could let the coach know and he/she would convey that info and do their best to lobby for you with admissions.
IMO, Andover is not one of those schools that is spending a lot of time worrying about yield management. You can certainly let them know they are your first choice (if they are), but it will make absolutely no difference in the decision process.
OP: They already know.
Andover has a >80% yield - I think Andover is most people’s first choice.
Tell them anyway and explain why in terms that wouldn’t apply to any other school. Can’t hurt. Beyond yield, they are also looking for fit to avoid attrition.
@Publisher What do you mean?
@CaliMex So should I send them an email simply saying they’re my first choice and why?
Look up an old thread by GemmaV - an AO at one of the well known BSs. She says it makes no difference. If you live close to Andover, it already knows your intention.
I won’t speak for @Publisher , but Andover has been tracking with an 80% yield for several years. They won’t say this out loud, but by the simple act of applying, it’s assumed they are your first choice.
There is absolutely no harm in writing to them and it is better to take action than to wonder later whether there is anything else you might have done. You’ll sleep better knowing you pulled out all the stops.
Give it you best shot and make sure your note is NOT boring or overly generic.
“You’ll sleep better…” Or you might seep better knowing you didn’t make a rash decision based on nerves and scrambling at nearly the last minute.
When posters speak of Andover and yield, they mean the school is confident they can build a class of top kids who’ll fit and thrive. A letter just proclaims your interest. They know you could be sending one to every BS on your list. A letter won’t make you a better match.
I would send it if you know for sure it is your first choice. I love Andover as much as everyone else, but it is not everyone’s first choice. Not everyone has a first choice at this point, and not everyone wants to go to a school that big.
Thank you all! I’m torn between sending it (and possibly regretting later) and not sending it (which I may also regret later). I was leaning towards sending the email but I think @lookingforward changed my mind. I’ll have to think about it a little more. If I were to send an email, what would be a good format? Also, are there any possible cons of sending an email? If not, then I may just go with the ‘why not’ mentality.
There is little to no value in sending such an email to Andover unless you are a recruited impact athlete–and even in that case it probably won’t make any difference.
As others have noted, it probably won’t make a difference either way.
But I really can’t think of any “cons” or drawbacks unless it is HORRIBLY written and generic. I can’t imagine a scenario in which someone says, “I really wanted to admit that guy, but now that we’ve gotten this email message, I’ve completely changed my mind and don’t think we should.”
Not sure why @lookingforward thinks it is risky.
Go through the official results threads. Do you see most kids getting only one acceptance? Since the answer is no, attaching any regret to having not sent a first choice email is unfounded. I’m certain that Andover is not agonizing over any candidates, sitting in their admissions committee meetings and withholding an admit vote, saying “we really wish he/she would email us to let us know if we’re their first choice”.
It’s out of your hands now. That’s a good thing and an accomplishment of it’s own. Enjoy the silence.
AO comments made at a PA revisit day a couple of years ago supports what others are saying. They pretty much assume that their admittees will have options, and they make their admissions offers based on who they have selected for their class without regard to an admittee’s other presumed options. My kiddo has a number of classmates who would have been legacies at rival schools, who attended summer programs at rival schools, and/or who have siblings at rival schools. I would not lose any sleep worrying about a first choice email.
I agree that at a school like Andover, first choice letters probably have little benefit. For many other schools, however, I do think it is useful to write your AO after all schools are visited and let him/her know that after visiting 15 schools, XYZ academy is your first choice for these very specific reasons. To the extent you can give specific reasons beyond name recognition for why you want to attend their institution, I think you definitely put yourself ahead of the pack who may be applying just to increase their admissions odds.