<p>conmama, kudos to you on helping your son craft such an excellent list of schools where he will fit in and thrive. I hope he appreciates you. It looks like he will have the option to at least finish his degree at IUB. I agree that that is an attractive option, from a cost standpoint and also to give him time to get his ‘college legs.’ He may have a better college experience if he takes that route, rather than enrolling direct to IU if admitted.</p>
<p>Just wanted to add that a good proportion of the students in bottom quartile are probably special category students. For example, IU has a top music conservatory and while some music students compile a good school record, others are so focused on music, that academics slips. I am sure a block of spots is held for students like these. And as auditions often go on into March, they do have to hold those spots for some time.</p>
<p>Similarly, there are athletes, artists and other talents for whom consideration is given.</p>
<p>Then there are the URMs, first generation, and other students who may have suffered some sort of hardships that interfered with school performance. Low-SES kids who worked through HS to help support family. Kids who struggled with cancer or other serious illness. Etc. </p>
<p>IU has a bit more than 1/3 of UG non-resident. That is fairly high, so perhaps your state does not restrict OOS enrollment? At desirable universities where OOS enrollment IS restricted, the OOS admits often have much higher stats than in-state. For example UNC-Chapel Hill, which releases this info from their IR office. You can see in-state vs.OOS GPA, SAT scores. I’m not sure how it works at UMIchigan which seems to attract huge numbers of high stat OOS and they don’t restrict enrollment, or at least not much. I have a feeling those kids have pretty good stats too. But IU isn’t quite that high-ranked, still admitting over 70% of applicants, so it’s possible that OOS kids are competing for bottom quartile spots with in-state. You should call or e-mail admissions and ask these kinds of questions. Things like what proportion of bottom quartile typically is unhooked? And of those unhooked, what proportion are OOS? Also, in the past several years, how many kids were waitlisted, and how many admitted from waitlist? Some schools put that info on CDS, but IU does not. And you could ask what to expect. Some schools may defer applicants to regular round awaiting first semester senior year grades. Ask if they do this. Did that happen to your older S? You might ask if there is anything else S could send that would help his app. LOR from coaches or employers. Updates to app. You seem like a very nice person. I’m sure you can get get someone in admissions to open up and talk to you about these things.</p>
<p>Also, you mentioned ED in your original post. IU does not appear to have ED. There are 2 app deadlines. Everyone who submits before the first deadline is considered together in the early round, unlike a few schools, eg, UMiami FL, that have both EA and ED. But some students with very good stats may be quickly waved through and admitted while the rest are saved for a more careful look. Good luck.</p>