<p>I don’t think it’s “Tufts syndrome,” exactly. I just think they have enough applicants, and enough of a history, and enough sophistication with statistical models, that their yield model predicted a candidate like you–OOS with super-high stats, and their not being in a position of offer much in the way of FA based on your OOS status–would likely not attend if offered. So why waste the offer? They’re just trying to fill their freshman class as efficiently as they can with the strongest candidates they think they’re likely to land; they don’t “owe” you an offer of admission, especially if others who fit your profile routinely go elsewhere.</p>
<p>Their model might have predicted that if you were a legacy with one or both parents Michigan alums, your chances of accepting would be much higher. But a sibling? Maybe in your case that matters, but in the larger run of cases a sibling is less likely to push a candidate like you over the top. Speaking from personal experience, both as a sibling and as a parent of two daughters, I’d say younger siblings often do just the opposite of their older siblings, or at least something different.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t take it personally. But if you really would prefer Michigan over Harvard, you should call the admissions office and tell them that. It might make a difference. But if you’re going to take the Harvard offer anyway and you’re just being pi*sy because you don’t get to add the Michigan scalp to your belt, I’d say just forget about it, and stop being so narcissistic. People of great talent have been denied admission to great schools from time immemorial, for good reasons or bad. It’s just not a big deal. You’ve been admitted to some great schools; get on with it.</p>
<p>
That might be part of the reason. Admission becomes unpredictable as you get closer to the Feb 1 deadline. I understand why you couldn’t apply EA but I don’t understand why you waited so long if Michigan was your first choice.</p>
<p>So basically Tufts Syndrome</p>
<p>I would say your late app may have hurt you more than anything… seems that they took a bulk of kids in EA. I am just guessing that they review apps in the order they are received and yours would have been one of the last to arrive. So maybe by the time they got to you, your stats didn’t hold up as well as they might have in an earlier round. Just curious, if UMich was your first choice, why you waited so long to apply? My son’s stats are very similar (even a little weaker, IMO) and he got in COE in the EA round.</p>
<p>I didn’t think the date you applied mattered much, as long as you got it in before the deadline. Why set a deadline if you are going to give late applicants a disadvantage?</p>
<p>But you already wondered in one of your first posts if when you applied made a difference? Also, I get Stanford, but with your stats and getting into Harvard, why aren’t you curious about why you didn’t get in Cornell or Dartmouth?</p>
<p>If you are willing to attend and cost isn’t a factor, call them and tell them you accepted the waitlist and you’ll deposit the day they accept you off the waitlist. If not, move on, you’ve got some great choices.</p>
<p>You really think his essay was just too cheesy and that left him out?</p>
<p>Well damn, I sent in the same 2-3 essays to every college I applied to saying how awesome they were, with just the names flipped around.</p>
<p>Good thing I wasn’t as strong of a candidate or as good of a writer</p>
<p>But for real, be assertive here. Contact the school. Let them know what’s up.</p>
<p>^^BUT only if you want to attend and are willing to deposit…otherwise move on.</p>
<p>My Michigan essay was VERY specific, citing examples like the GG Brown Building on North Campus, the Michigan Solar Car Team, etc.</p>
<p>Just want confirmation that I am correct in being quite shocked in their decision.</p>
<p>I would not be shocked. Michigan is one of the most selective universities for OOS students (as selective as some Ivies, Northwestern etc…). It is quite common for Michigan to wait list or reject students who get into other selective universities. Harvard obviously saw something they liked in your application, but admissions is never predictable. Applying right around the deadline date doesn’t help either. I am more shocked by the fact that you did not know that applying to Michigan later than a certain date (usually early December) will put you at a disadvantage. With a brother at the University, and given that it was one of your top choices, I would have expected you to know that. Like I said, the three Ivy League-bound students I know this year were rejected by Michigan. For OOS and international students, Michigan is mega-selective.</p>
<p>I also wouldn’t be shocked. Lots of applicants with great stats don’t get admitted to Michigan. The same is true at every other highly selective college and university. The lateness of your application may have suggested you just didn’t care that much, it was just an afterthought. Maybe, as others have suggested, with your late application the class was already 99% full and you got edged out by other applications with similar or better stats or who just sounded more interesting. Maybe they really just didn’t like your school-specific essays. Maybe by the time they got around to your application you were the X-thousandth applicant who came from essentially the same background–let me guess, white, male, suburban, affluent, high stats–and they just said “I wanna vomit, we’ve already admitted like 5,000 of these, and they’re all the same guy, can’t we just find someone from a rural background, or an inner-city kid, or someone from the Southwest or some other underrepresented region?”</p>
<p>Look, you wouldn’t be whining this way if you’d been rejected by Harvard. You don’t seem to be whining about being rejected by Cornell and Dartmouth. But somehow you seem to feel some sense of entitlement to have been admitted to Michigan. Get over it. They didn’t choose you. You have great options. Get on with your life, and don’t worry about it. You’ll do just fine without them, and they’ll do just fine without you. It’s how college admissions works. No one’s entitled.</p>
<p>Some of you are being ridiculous. Michigan is an amazing school but its not like they get thousands upon thousands of these kind of applicants. With everything you mentioned I would be shocked too. Applying late didn’t help but I don’t think that killed it flat out</p>
<p>Again, a lot of exaggerated claims. You have every right to be shocked and I would be too. It is shocking that Michigan did not admit you.</p>
<p>The only possibility I can see is that your essays and application didn’t demonstrate interest in Michigan, and they felt as though you wouldn’t attend anyway.</p>
<p>I’m with ThisIsMichigan - we are talking about Harvard here, just really rough to get in these days. I probably think Michigan should be accepting Harvard admits - I get that on this board that is not the sentiment.</p>
<p>As far as this applying late -again Michigan admin get your crap together! If you set a date as a deadline and people meet it then their should be no problem. And don’t throw this rolling thing at me - it has proved to be a sham the way they handle it. And on these threads you will see many who applied the last day that got in AND many who applied in Nov with no decision yet.</p>
<p>While some of you may find it strange, it isn’t. Michigan will admit 20% of OOS applicants this year. Many of those rejected and waitlisted will have acceptances to other selective universities. It just isn’t that surprising. Like I said, for OOS and international applicants, Michigan is, and always has been, very selective.</p>
<p>To the OP, I appreciate your surprise as being waitlisted. You certainly are a very worthy applicant. You really should have applied Early Action to Michigan given that it was your first choice. I applied to Michigan back in the fall of 1991. I was living in the United Arab Emirates at the time, and attended a British high school. Even my British high school counselor back then knew that Michigan favored early applicants. It is no secret. Even if you did not know, I am surprised your brother did not tell you. Like you, Michigan was my first choice. I applied to 10 other peer schools but to me, Michigan was my favorite option after visiting over 10 campuses the summer before. As such, I made sure that my Michigan application was submitted first. </p>
<p>It does not matter really. Harvard is a better university than Michigan. It does not get better than Harvard!</p>
<p>Why aren’t you all up in arms about him not getting in Cornell? Or Dartmouth? Surely Harvard admits should get in there as well. ALexandre already has noted at least 3 Ivy admits that he knows personally who were not accepted at Michigan. Maybe they took too money in the EA around, although seems like a lot of high quality applicants were deferred there too. Some of you underestimate how hard it is to get in Michigan and places like UNC out of state. I bet if we could peruse the entire application there would be something that would make this make some sense.</p>
<p>I agree finalchild. Michigan is as selective as Cornell for OOS applicants. While it is not common, some students will be denied admission into those schools and be admitted at Harvard or Princeton or Stanford. I have seen it happen many times. Last year, a student I knew was admitted at Princeton, but he was rejected by Penn (CAS) and Dartmouth. The year before that, a student got into MIT but was rejected by Cal and another was admitted at Stanford but was rejected by Cornell (CAS).</p>
<p>Admissions at top universities is highly unpredictable.</p>