<p>OOS D was wait listed with a 27 ACT and 3.5UW GPA, 5 AP classes, and good ECs. We aren’t surprised based on the other data points here. It kind of feels like a soft rejection. Being on the edge also means little or no chance for merit aid. Clearly, a lot of the wait listed kids will go elsewhere.</p>
I feel you in ways you can surely understand. I had very similar stats and I got waitlisted. Heart broken and just about ready to give up on school. I’ve wanted to go there for years.
My son received a denial letter on Saturday that further “encouraged” him to apply next year as a transfer… not going to happen. He has been accepted to 8 other schools already, but definitely wasn’t expecting a denial from Clemson. We have visited Clemson and he really liked it. I am very surprised that he got a straight out denial with his stats. I realize his ACT is a little lower then their median, but the rest of his stats, especailly his list of Academic awards and EC’s were strong.
Male- Out of state (NC)
Hispanic, First Generation, 8 AP’s, 100 + service hours, lots of EC’s including: Varsity Football captain, NHS, NLHS, Beta Club, etc. 3.5 UW GPA/ 4.2 W. Class Rank- Top 15% ACT 25
They must of had a really competitive pool of applicants this year. I am wondering if being OOS is what hurt him(?). Oh well, hopefully he will get accepted into USC. Congrats to all that were accepted and good luick to those on the waitlist!
Waitlisted with 29 ACT, 3.43 GPA, Extracurriculars but nothing outstanding (just varsity soccer, 365 service hours, tutor at school, and mentor).
I am not going to sign on to the waitlist because Clemson is not my first choice and they did not offer any money. I hope to give people who really want to attend the chance to attend.
Ready to Leave don’t give up! My son was waitlisted in 2010 and was also heartbroken. He had gotten into every other school he applied to. We are from the Northeast and I think there were a very high number of out of state student applicants. He stayed on the wait list, and in the meantime, put down a deposit at another school to hold his spot. He was eventually accepted into Clemson (it was late May before he heard) and spent 4 very happy years there. He graduated last year. I would suggest holding a spot at your next choice school if you can, and also calling Clemson early in May to check. Good luck!
If you get accepted off the waitlist is there any chance of financial aid?
my daughter was waitlisted. major: chemical engineering. 680 math, 600 reading. un weighted GPA 3.75. took honors, ap, and 2 college courses (math). very good resume: 2 varsity sports for 4 years, clubs, community service, job, many academic awards. she accepted the wait list because this is her number one choice. but she is heart broken. I wish we knew how many were waitlisted this year and what are the chances. we hope to hear the first week of may (although we will have to put a deposit in with another school and lose it if she does get accepted!)
my daughters school doesn’t even rank so we can only guess and hope that she is in top 10-20% but very small school. she is also OOS with a decent GPA 3.75 (un weighted) and math 680 and reading 600. Honors, AP and college credited classes taken. Great resume (work, community service, academic awards, job, multiple varsity sports and clubs.) I think this year is more competitive then other years. her guidance was shocked she got waitlisted.
are you accepting the wait list?
If you review the college data from Clemson University for the past year (2013-14) they accepted 288 applicants from their wait list of 692, approx. 41%. This is a 1 time snapshot and may have no relevance for this year’s ##. My son was waitlisted for Engineering. Does anyone know if the Engineering wait list is longer and harder to be accepted from? Logic would suggest that to be the case… just wondering…
I know it’s difficult to understand when someone is admitted with lower stats. OOS admissions can be particularly puzzling. Three factors that, IMHO, strongly impact OOS admissions (beyond GPA and scores) are class rank (and a lack thereof seems to be a disadvantage), intended major, and ability to pay.
For all of you waiting - I wish you the best of luck. To those accepted and attending - congrats and Go Tigers!
@Overtheedge - actually I don’t really give much thought to the seeming random nature of the college application process anymore. Upon reflection, I don’t like the waitlist process since it seems to drag everything out. The feeling of being left hanging. Mentally, I have moved on from Clemson and other schools that have waitlisted DS. If they come out with a stellar financial aid package in the 11 hour then are back in the running but I doubt that will happen. As DS is applying OOS, the costs are pretty high and hard to justify when compared to the one in-state school that has accepted DS. A difference of $20K is significant. Money talks! 
@overtheedge Waitlisted and shocked. I was born in the South and have been to Clemson many times and now live in CA. I got in very competitive schools across the U.S. and most got substantial merit (don’t qualify for financial aid). Always had a soft spot for Clemson and have family in the area. I am in top 5% but they don’t officially rank at my school and Clemson top tier SAT. I just received the letter today and I mentally need to decide on my future so this was very difficult for me to understand as well.
I’d like to weigh in on Clemson, especially the waitlist aspect. Clemson has gotten extremely competitive and popular over the past few years. Many OOS students are applying to Clemson as their “safety”
school. I live in SC, and many instate students are being waitlisted and/ or denied outright. Many are being offered the Bridge to Clemson program and are over the moon happy about it. Instate students with GPAs less than 4.2 are being offered the Bridge program. Clemson weighs the following factors the most : GPA , rank, test scores and rigor. ECs are weighed very little in the grand scheme of things.
For whatever reason, people seem to believe admission to Clemson is easy . It’s not. A simple look at the Common Data Set from last year would’ve confirmed that it is more difficult that most people think.
The only advice that I would give students that truly want to attend Clemson is to stay on the waitlist . As selective schools notifications come out, my guess is many spots will be opening up. I know of at least one. My son has declined his acceptance to Clemson and Calhoun Honors.
One more thing. Clemson is not a rolling admission school. Their notifications have always been released in February with students receiving merit receiving earlier notification. For the earlier posters who complained about not hearing from them for months, it states clearly on their website when notifications are sent out. Their website is also very clear with what stats are needed to be offered merit aid. The info is there on the website if you look for it.
thanks @carolinamom2boys Thanks for the advice. I signed up for the waitlist. Do you know if there is anything I can do to improve my chances? I didn’t think Clemson was easy admission but I just really love the atmosphere and I have many former neighbors (from living in the South but not SC) who have gone to Clemson and love it. Thanks.
I don’t know if it will help, but maybe if you sent a letter stating that Clemson is still your first choice school and you are commited to attending if you come off the waitlist. I don’t think it would hurt. Good luck. I hope it works out for you. Clemson is a great school. It was not an easy decision for my son to let it go, but in the end, another instate school was a better fit. I hope it opened up a space for you.
My son was accepted to Clemson (for Computer Science) but the merit money was not enough to off-set the merit opportunities that he has at other schools. Otherwise I think Clemson could be a wonderful fit.
This will open up another space too. Hoping for our CCers!
@jaxson - I’m sorry about your waitlist decision. Maybe with the increasing competitiveness, Clemson has adopted a yield protection strategy. I agree with Carolinamom2boys that it wouldn’t hurt to contact admissions. Let them know that you were born in the South, have relatives that attended Clemson and that it’s your top choice. It couldn’t hurt.
You mentioned that your school doesn’t rank. Do you know if they sent anything to Clemson indicating that you are in the top decile of your class? If not, that may help. Because Clemson puts so much emphasis on class rank, students coming from schools that don’t rank seem to be at a disadvantage in admissions.
Good luck! And keep us posted.