<p>I got an academic likely letter from Harvard last month and, after researching them a little and finding an article that said they are only given to students who are virtually certain to get into all the top schools, became really confident about the rest of my schools. I mean, if Harvard wanted me that much, how could anywhere reject me?</p>
<p>Well I ended up accepted also by Yale and Columbia, but rejected by Princeton and Stanford. Not even waitlisted. I'm just wondering if this is a common type of thing to happen. How does Harvard see so much in me that the dean of admissions includes a handwritten note at the end of my letter while Princeton and Stanford don't even waitlist me?</p>
<p>Don't get me wrong, I am ecstatic about Harvard and Yale and Columbia. I'm just curious as to how this might've happened.</p>
<p>Quick info:
35 ACT
2320 SAT
Tons of community service
Interest in poly sci
Great essays</p>
<p>
Not true. LLs are given out to students because the university/college wants them for some specific reason which can rarely be determined from looking at the student’s stats, essays, or even entire application alone. LLs are hugely based on the applicant pool and what the specific college needs or wants in that application year. If Harvard really needs, say, an oboist, a qualified applicant who plays the oboe might get an LL. If Princeton or whoever doesn’t need an oboist and the applicant doesn’t stand out – where standing out = having something that the specific college wants – for some other reason, the qualified applicant may be rejected, as the vast majority of qualified applicants are.
I think you think a little too highly of Harvard admissions.</p>
<p>You forget that admissions is made up of people, who will have different opinions on a candidate and are often looking for different things.</p>
<p>You’re not alone. I know a Columbia likely kid who was rejected/WL’d at every other Ivy to which he applied.</p>
<p>Do you have any national awards? Anywhere on the web where you are identified by name, and where you stated your top choices for schools?</p>
<p>There are many admissions officers who look on the web for additional info./confirmation of info. on top candidates. So, for example, Intel finalists often state their top choice schools and it’s published in the finalists guide. If a kid says they want to go to Harvard or Yale…Stanford will most likely reject when they are fairly certain an acceptance that will not result in enrollment (because of the affect on yield.) </p>
<p>Are you considered well rounded with one or two particular areas where you excel? Perhaps the areas where you excel are of special interest to the schools where you were admitted, and not as much of an interest to the schools where you weren’t admitted.</p>
<p>Did you have interviews for Princeton or Stanford? While it is said these interviews have little impact on admissions, if you stated any information about the other schools in those interviews, it may have influenced the decision.</p>
<p>Try not to dwell too much longer on why Stanford and Princeton didn’t admit you. You have some wonderful choices for undergrad, and you are likely to thrive at the one you choose.</p>
<p>No national awards, except national merit. Just dedication to leading an organization that delivers 2 weeks of food to over 7000 people every christmas and founding a chapter of an anti-prejudice program at my school and traveling to elementary schools around my city with a tolerance lesson plan I developed, along with a lot of other service. I have made all state band on trumpet for 3 years. I have 2 varsity letters in swimming and have run track all 4 years, lettering this year.</p>
<p>I had an interview for Princeton, but I don’t remember saying anything about other schools.</p>
<p>Thanks a lot. I am super excited about where I got in. Harvard/Yale/Columbia is going to be a tough choice.</p>
<p>Actually, in the past few years Princeton has become a lot more esteemed than in the past and many are considering it the “new” Harvard, minus as much of the nose-in-the-air attitude. Anyway, as a result of this, Princeton’s acceptance rate this year was slightly under 8%, while Harvard’s was closer to 10%. Princeton has simply become a more selective school. I also received a likely letter from Harvard, also hand-signed by the dean with a “Hope to see you at Harvard” note (I guess he signs lots of those. 
Haha), but was only accepted by Princeton at the regular time.</p>
<p>As to Stanford, they tend to base their acceptance on much more tenuous criteria than most other highly selective schools. Being a minority or poor is a much larger advantage there than elsewhere. My boyfriend was accepted everywhere he applied, MIT, Princeton, etc. except Stanford, yet his ex-girlfriend who made a 1970 on SATs (compared to his 2310) was accepted. She was poor and Hispanic.</p>
<p>Uhhh - don’t know where you’re getting your info, but Harvard had the lowest acceptance rate this year, at 6.9%.</p>
<p>All of those letters, including the regular admissions letters, are “signed” by Fitzsimmons with some sort of electronic pen!</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Yes, closer than a school whose acceptance rate is greater than 13.1%.</p>