Deferred at CW

@ambkeegan: Is your son the first child you have to go through the college admissions process?

No but his older brother was 10 years ago. It’s like my first one. Not only that 10 years ago it was easier and my older boy handled most of this by himself.

@ambkeegan: The college admissions process is simply brutal; our first child went through it two years ago, so we had a relatively recent foreshadowing of how crazy it can be. And, looking at the historical Naviance data for our high school, it seems (at least at this point) to be worse this year than it was two years ago.

Even though Case Western is not quite an “elite” school, it’s close enough that people need to realize that good grades and scores are not enough to GUARANTEE admission. Nobody is surprised when a kid with perfect grades and a 34 to 36 ACT gets rejected at a top twenty school. Yet for whatever reason everybody seems to think that same high stat student is an automatic admit at a school like Case Western. That is not the case(pardon the pun) any longer. Schools like CWRU are not deferring or denying kids with these stats just because they want to protect a yield, they are doing it because there are so many kids with those stats or close to those stats to choose from. The difference between a 32 and a 34 ACT is just a handful of correct answers and schools know this. So a student with a 32 ACT that has a better overall resume is often more attractive to the school. This drives high stat parents and students crazy because they are all convinced that a 34-36 ACT is the equivalent to the proverbial Willy Wonka golden ticket. It’s not. And I’m not hating on high stat students, my son is one. I’m just saying people need to adjust to the reality of admissions these days.

Hello all of you fine Deferred Students and their parents, has anyone recently checked their portal and received a hyper text link saying to contact the financial aid dept.? My D just checked her portal to see if her mid year grades were received on the check list (they were and I am glad they were all A’s for them to see), and the new financial aid item was listed last on the checklist. It didn’t say what it was for. Any ideas?

Just called the Financial Aid Office, and since there was a green check mark next to the message to call the f.a. dept, the man said it was nothing, and that I.T. made a mistake and sent that out to people who didn’t need it. However, imo, if you have that message, I would call any way so that you know for sure if they need something. Have a great day, Winky1

For those deferred that need to turn in an essay due 2/10 for regular decision for those still interested.
Around how long are these essays?

What is the PS line? Personal what?

Not sure what you are referring to @ambkeegan

@ambkeegan The post script line is a single sentence added at the very end of the acceptance letter, at least that’s what we have, and what we heard from other kids got into CWRU this year and past. In our PS line, it commented on the my S’s perseverance of hardship and ability to rebound. We thought it was a really nice personal touch. It also demonstrated the Admissions Committee read through all the materials, and identified "a “hook” so to speak to separate my S with kids with similar stats.

From the conversations I had with others got into Case this year, I found the PS line was always about special volunteer activities, special personal passion/talent/character and absolutely none on academic stats.

Case is the only school we know that does this tiny addition in the acceptance letter. Some people may find it is just pure marketing, but we find it very meaningful; making my S wanting to attend even we have not visited the campus yet.


At this point for us, It is very hard to decide between UMich and CWRU, but this PS line is pushing my S into - “wow - they really care, and I want to go there” - category; and he will be the one making the final call after the visits.

Just curious if any deferred students chose not to complete their online update form?

@Mickey2Dad , please let us know how your son decides and what the main factors wound up being. Both schools are excellent but they are very different, too.

@Mickey2Dad Thank you for the PS answer

I just got copied on an email that Case sent to my D inviting her to attend an admitted students event / overnight! ! It listed all of the dates. I hope it’s not a glitch!!!

Great didn’t see one for my son

@ambkeegan, hold up on my post. @immadreamer said they called admissions and it was a mistake. They also said they got a follow up apology email, but we have not received that follow up email. My D actually registered for an Admitted Students Day visit. Not sure what to make of this.

Also, does anyone know if decisions are being released on March 17 or March 20? I have read both on the threads. Thanks.

So sorry. Last I saw was 3/20. So far son was waitlisted Wash U and not accepted at JH. He really wants to go to CW

Thanks @ambkeegan . My D was denied at Wash U. Sorry for the waitlist and denial at JHU. I hope his dreams come true. Best of luck whether it’s tomorrow or the 20th.

@Winky1 well she is either on the admitted list or someone in admissions is incredibly lazy or inept not to stop those emails . Hoping for the former.
When is this weekend anyway?

She is signed up for last Thursday /Friday in March, I believe. There are April dates too.