Hi, I am just wondering if anyone can please explain this to me. I am genuinely confused about why I would be accepted to Exeter but waitlisted and denied from schools like Taft and Loomis (respectively). Can someone please explain as I was really looking forward to attending Loomis or Taft next year. However, I am tremendously appreciative of Exeter’s opportunity and cannot wait to attend there next year!
It could be a million things, from financial aid budget decisions to personality fit to anticipated decision (schools try not to accept students they know will turn them down), to being a violinist when they need a cellist, or a goalie when they need a forward. As many wise people have counseled, “Love the school that loves you.”
@momof3nyc Thank you very much for your input! You are absolutely correct with your quote, I must appreciate and love Exeter as they must have seen something special in me, especially being a 10th-grade transfer. Thank you!
Don’t fall prey to thinking that one school is any better over any other. Although Forbes and others have tried to rank order these schools there’s enough experience here to say that each school has its own beauty and charm. It’s not that Loomis is a “lesser” school than Exeter, so why Exeter and not a sub par school…
Each school takes a range of students with a variety of strengths. They each take their share of recruited athletes and legacy, full pay and FA kids. There are so many variables at play, you’ll never really know why one school and not the other. Look at all your opportunities and think where you feel you can do your best work. Enjoy revisits!
Might be due to yield protection. These schools may have assumed that with your stats & ECs that you would be accepted to a higher profile school.
Were you accepted to other schools as well ? Read that you were waitlisted at Choate & Lawrenceville as well.
Could be due in part to the fact that you applied to 10th grade which has fewer available spots.
The good news is that you can only attend one school & Exeter is a great option along with Fountain Valley School.
maybe overqualified. at least they felt that way
“maybe overqualified. at least they felt that way”
@Slalomkid23 please reread post #3!
Bottom line: They didn’t find you a good fit for the school or they would have accepted you. Attend Exeter and appreciate the fact you got into a place many would be thrilled with.
No, not necessarily the goot fit answer. You may be a fine fit, but they can only take so many who are fitting. Can’t take 'em all.
"… schools like Taft and Loomis… "
What the heck does that even mean? Maybe I should introduce OP to my Taft obsessed sister… 
@PhotographerMom I believe I miswrote, I absolutely loved Taft and Loomis and would’ve attended in a heartbeat!!! However, if we look at most people that got accepted to Exeter this year, they were also accepted to Taft and Loomis. After all, Taft and Loomis have higher acceptance rates compared to Exeter. This is why I was a bit confused last night. Though, now, I understand that there is a myriad of different reasons why I wasn’t accepted to these schools, which do not have to deal with how strong of an applicant I was. All in all, I am tremendously happy that Exeter accepted me and I cannot wait to attend next year!
Hierarchical thinking is dangerous for many reasons, but mostly for the implication that people at Exeter are better than people at Taft or Loomis or any other number of schools.
This kind of thinking will damage your relationships and ultimately, your self-worth, in life as you miss out of folks you perceive as less or believe that others are more. It is never too early to get rid of this way of sorting the world around you.
Exeter is a fine school. Forget all the schools that didn’t accept you and move on.
@christian007 DS has a similar story. He only applied to 2 schools. Got accepted at Choate and rejected at Loomis. I have to say…I did not see the Loomis rejection coming…everything had gone well…Perhaps they thought he would be a better fit for Choate…?Perhaps they thought he won’t come to Loomis because his sibling is at Choate…? I can’t help but wonder… Any who…DS is really excited…Choate was and is his dream school…
Congratulations about Exeter! It is a great school … you must be really excited…
@Sush2016 Thank you! Congratulations to your son! I am extremely excited to attend Exeter! It has been my dream HS since practically elementary school.