<p>But, if he leaves it at +1, it -1's the chance for a waitlist acceptee, whether or not he was 'statistically expected'. He can't definately give a spot to a waitlistee, but he can improve their chances.</p>
<p>(this might not make any sense, i'm sick and not extremely coherent at the moment ;))</p>
<p>no, you make sense. The more people that decline the offer, the higher the possibility (probability) that a waitlistee gets the acceptance. Unless of course....Caltech expects a lot of people to decline their offer; then in the end it doesn't really matter, does it? :D</p>
<p>While we're on the topic, how far off are you guys from the class size you want before you start admitting people from the waitlist?</p>
<p>Between MIT and Caltech ^_^</p>
<p>rheasilvia, you know you want MIT. (My chances++, please? :P)</p>
<p>Warm weather, and a total lack of snow, here I come.</p>
<p>Mayyyyyybe. :D</p>
<p>adimeola14--You deserve to get in if only for your username :)</p>
<p>Err... guys, is there a way to change my username, or should I just get a new account? :D</p>
<p>(almost) definitely going to Caltech :)</p>
<p>...but still open to discovering some new reason to go to MIT that would trump a small community and financial independence.</p>
<p>100% going to caltech</p>
<p>btw, is there like a set number income-wise that is the cutoff point for financial aid?</p>
<p>also, if i didn't apply for financial aid when i applied...can i get it next year?</p>
<p>There's no cutoff point for financial aid (unless your household income is well into the seven figures). The Financial Aid Office is very helpful and considerate in awarding aid, even if one's income is six digits. There were a few talks about this last year at Pre-Frosh Weekend, if I recall correctly. </p>
<p>For the other question, contact the financial aid office. It might be a little harder if you haven't already filled out FAFSA.</p>
<p>Kim--Oh, you know what the reason to go to MIT is. ;)</p>
<p>How could I forget?</p>
<p>Since I got waitlisted and not accepted at Caltech I obviously don't know what I would be awarded in financial aid, but my financial aid award from Johns Hopkins was very funny.... although I knew we probably wouldn't get anything anyway. Fafsa calculators show my parents EFC at 45k a year or so... so JHU offered me a 1k loan. Goody goody. I'm going to have to get a loan anyway.</p>
<p>I'm sorry, MIT_Dreamer, for your unfortunate sn. <em>g</em></p>
<p>And me?, all joking aside, I do know that I want to go to MIT, but my info session with the Caltech rep was so convincing that I feel some qualms about turning Caltech down without ever having visited the campus or giving it a fair shot, so I'm going for their campus preview weekend in late April to see if that changes my mind. If, as I suspect, it doesn't...well, my MIT enrollment form is in a signed and sealed envelope. ^_^</p>
<p>Mmm...you can't discount either without visiting, I think. Caltech's campus and location have some VERY nice qualities, which you would never know without actually going there (I think in both those regards they beat MIT hands down, although of course Cambridge is a spectacularly close 2nd for location...).</p>
<p>So, have you decided which you're going to yet, GuitarMan? Or, are you waiting for the preview weekends?</p>
<p>Hmm, I've recently decided to lend more consideration to MIT/Caltech than I was originally planning. So, assuming Hahvahd does not take me off the waitlist, the top three are (respectively) Yale, Caltech, and MIT. Honestly, I don't know if I see myself at MIT (I just have to shake off some personal attachments to Cambridge/Boston that I know shouldn't affect my decision...hmm), and on that note it will be difficult for Caltech to beat out Yale for me, but I will certainly give it a look, and visit all 3 prefroshes (and I am by far the most excited about Caltech's!). Caltech has some big issues for me, but it has a lot of spectacular qualities that I just can't bring myself to rule out....</p>
<p>Don't shake off all attachments to the area. I agree that it's a bad idea to make it a major factor, but if you're not happy with the location, or if you're excessively happy with the location, it could make a major impact on how well you like the college overall.</p>
<p>edit: Congratz' on Yale also, I didn't know you got in there. A friend of mine is there right now, and he likes it a lot.</p>