<p>I think that the main reason I did not get in was because HMC was a last-minute add-on to my list. My essays for their "Why HMC?" style questions were all a bit lukewarm and based on what other people had said about the school, and I never visited at all. Since I've applied, though, HMC has become my #1 choice!</p>
<p>I know that there is no iron-cast way to get off the waitlist, but are there any actions that will improve my chances? HMC suggests sending an email or letter, which I will certainly do. Could I perhaps include my rigorous second-semester schedule, which they do not know about yet? (it includes a college class in Linear Algebra, along with two AP classes. We only have four classes per day, and classes change every semester, so HMC hasn't seen this courseload yet). At the most drastic, I could fly down there (across the country) and visit... do you think this would help?</p>
<p>Basically, I want to give them a better understanding of who I am and show them why HMC and I are a match.</p>
<p>My personal opinion is that it shouldn’t be on academics so much. When I first applied I did it because I liked what they offered and I thought I had nothing to lose. Never would I have dreamed of getting in, especially with my scores. I even recycled an essay I had previously written on a similar topic (my passion for math and science). Talk about your feelings in these subjects. How you feel about when you discover them. How they enlighten you. I’m not sure what they’re looking for, but I think for me that’s what got me in. </p>
<p>Something I talked about:
-When I first encountered my passion
-The first time I noticed this is what I wanted to do – which was recent…and I explained why I changed
-Who played a part
-What I want to do with this. Especially with my involvement in the community.
-Who pushed me and how I became an independent learned
-My feelings when I do my favorite subject and how I feel that when I understand something I feel joy, I don’t mean complete the mechanics…but understand where it comes from
-How I apply what I learn daily and unintentionally, how I question the math/science of things when I look at them</p>
<p>These people all have rigorous courses, you need to be above that. What more can you bring to the table apart from being able to handle lots of rigorous courses.</p>
<p>FWIW Mudd has had unexpectedly high yield/enrollment past two years and didn’t take anyone off the waitlist – it all depends on how it pans out this year.</p>
<p>It sounds like you have some good ideas about explaining your interest. Sorry I can’t help much :(</p>
Express some surprise that you, the fantastic Shelldemeo who is a perfect match for Mudd, were waitlisted.
Mention in passing how you found Mudd, applied at the last minute, and since then have obviously fallen truly, madly, hopelessly in love with the place.
Inquire as to the reasons and whether there’s anything specific they found lacking in your application.</p>
<p>Armed with the outcome of #3, you should know what updates to send that might make a difference if a slot opens up. If you’re open to taking a gap year and attending with the class of 2016, you might mention that as well – no guarantees and I don’t have any data on this, but I’m thinking it might possibly be relevant if you were a solid candidate and they just didn’t have a spot for you this year.</p>
<p>The odds of getting off a waitlist are also impossible to predict - you could be the perfect choice but there may not be any slots.
Having the counselor call is generally much better than calling yourself. As geek_mom notes, they will do the right stuff. For the very immediate future - just accept your slot. The AO is very busy right now and won’t be thinking about the wait list for at least a couple of weeks. Meanwhile, start drafting a short list of things for them to know. I wouldn’t fly down.</p>
<p>Though waitlist chances have been slim in the past few years, they did admit 24 less students this year. That, and I’m seeing more “Mudd vs. (MIT/Caltech/Stanford)” threads than in past years, so I suspect we might have more overlap with prestigious schools this year, which potentially means a lower yield. Of course, they could just end up having a smaller class this year to help out with the housing shortage (last years was supposed to fix that…but their class is not that much smaller than the last), so it’s impossible to know.</p>
<p>My son was accepted to HM and decided to attend Rose Hulman instead. So there is at least one opening for another student who was waitlisted … good luck</p>
<p>Like most colleges, Mudd admits more students than it has room for because it knows that not everyone who’s admitted will attend. So a student deciding not to attend doesn’t immediately mean a bump for someone on the waitlist; a greater number of students than Mudd expects would have to decide not to attend. Mudd admissions staff say they’re very good at anticipating the summer melt; in the past two years, they’ve underestimated their enrollment by a small number of students.</p>
<p>Not to be a wet blanket, just want to keep the expectations realistic.</p>