<p>I am just curious because I was selected as a Rabi Scholar in Columbia University by Likely Letter. But, I got rejected from Harvard, Brown (after deferral) and UPenn.</p>
<p>Is it just out of luck that I got Columbia? or is it that Ivy Schools somehow talk about applicants and tend to negotiate? and choose applicants. Just out of curiousity.</p>
<p>I am very very very happy about columbia university btw.</p>
<p>No sharing of info about applicants. HIPA. Congrats however!</p>
<p>In a simple word-no. There was a lawsuit I believe 15-20 years ago that prohibited the ivy league to engage in this practice, especially around financial aid. In fact, there was an antitrust case brought by the government.</p>
<p>ragna93- so it sounds like you’re a science star. congrats. one of my best friends when i was an undergraduate was in the rabi program, so i will speak from his perspective. </p>
<p>the rabi program is truly incredible, and the access to professors will help research and get what you want out of columbia’s great science facilities. and especially if you want to go on to graduate school, it is fantastic resource.</p>
<p>the thing to know is that most ivy league schools want that kind of ridiculous renaissance person - i am science researcher, but i speak 5 languages, and my essay is about my effort to tackle global warming by studying ice cores from antartica. the problem with that, columbia i have been told noticed, is that they weren’t getting the kind of pure science kids to come. the renaissance person would gravitate to economics or other majors. university’s have an interest in having students come to work in the sciences and become future leading scientists. columbia works with its faculty in the rabi program to select the students that the faculty believe would come to columbia and love science research.</p>
<p>why would this mean you get into columbia and not harvard? it means that the eye of a faculty member in the sciences and not just the eye of the admissions officer (who is looking for that renaissance person) is involved in selecting students. It means that Columbia wanted to look at you differently, and sought to get to understand truly just how impressive you are. I think that is awesome. Because you bring something when you come to columbia that most students do not bring. It adds to the diversity. </p>
<p>Sometimes other schools notice this, sometimes they do not. But I think it is good to know how much columbia admissions works with faculty to help understand what kinds of students they want to work with.</p>
<p>and smart guy, i know that is true, i just have never seen the case for it, do you know the case name?</p>
<p>Thank you for your long answer admissiongeek!
Helped a lot!</p>
<p>the anti trust court case dealt with financial aid awards collusion in Ivy+MIT.</p>
<p>[8</a> Ivy League Schools Sign Collusion Ban - Los Angeles Times](<a href=“8 Ivy League Schools Sign Collusion Ban”>8 Ivy League Schools Sign Collusion Ban)</p>