HYPS etc. Acceptance in subsequent years

Parents Forum
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<p>I couldn't think of the "right" title for this thread so I'll explain what I mean here...and if there's a better title...maybe I can get it changed.</p>

<p>In a recent thread, a poster was getting advice for a "friend" about a college list. It got me thinking about how some colleges deal with admissions year after year from same high school.</p>

<p>For example...if Competitive School X accepts a student for the 2008-09 year, and then another for the 2009-2010 year from the same high school...would they be more or less apt to accept a student from the same high school for 2010-2011? </p>

<p>I know of an instance where a val was accepted at an Ivy from a small high school that doesn't typically send kids to the Ivies. The following year, the class val was rejected at that same Ivy (2nd year student had stronger SAT scores overall, and SAT II's...both kids had all A's with rigorous courseloads and very similar ECs). It was speculated that this Ivy had accepted the val from this high school and that the second val didn't exactly "round out" their school diversity.</p>

<p>What do folks think? Does it really matter? I know there are some highly competitive high schools that send kids repeatedly to the Ivies. But when do those Ivies (or similar competitive colleges) say "lets give kids from another school the nod"?</p>

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<p>From being on the regional alum interviewers for Harvard I haven't seen any evidence that what you are speculating is the way places like Harvard operate. There are lots of excellent applicants, and the places like Harvard pick the ones who appear to best round out the class. I don't think that part of "rounding out" the class includes taking turns in selecting students from various high local high schools.</p>

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<p>Unfortunately, the only thing harder to do than speculating WHY a student was accepted is to speculate why one was rejected. </p>

<p>Without being able to compare the applications, it is tottaly impossible to ascertain the possible reasons. The entire admission system is fraught with reliance on ever changing "rules" For instance, we do not know how the LOR's sounded for both candidates nor do we know how the essays were perceived. What if the second valedictorian decided to present an application that sounded ... eerily similar to the prior val's? </p>

<p>Fwiw, I believe that there are many examples of colleges accepting students from the same school year after year, and be especially interested to return to the well of a school that was previously under the radar. Another element is the repeated acceptance of siblings. </p>

<p>I really, really do not think that there is a pattern. In addition, there are about 30,000 schools that send students to colleges. Keeping extensive tracking statistics seems to be an extensive exercise in futility. With today's explosion in online applications and efforts by colleges to reach beyond their typiocal boundaries, it seems a given that colleges look for the best students based on that year's application pool.</p>

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<p>I agree w/Northstarmom and Xiggi. Speculating about the two vals would be futile. I interview at one of NSM's competitors (and her school hammered us in football again this year :( LOL</p>

<p>I've recruited and interviewed for about 20 yrs -- it's very serendipitous the students I've seen selected by my alma mater. "Crap Shoot" is a term I've seen tossed about -- I tend to agree to some degree.</p>

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<p>It is not at all a crapshoot. What was their financial aid status? Did either play a musical instrument, and if so, which one? </p>

<p>The "odds" of a non-hooked, non-legacy, non-athlete, non-minority, non-developmental, non-patent holder, non-novel author being admitted are roughly 1 in 40 - and it doesn't matter that it was a val, or a small high school, or what the stats are.</p>

<p>Best way to increase the odds are to choose ones parents well, or to be male and weigh over 280.</p>

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<p>Unless you've seen the essays & recs, and are intimately familiar with the EC list.... you don't have any information on which to draw a comparison. Class rank and SAT scores are the LEAST significant data points for Ivy level admissions. That's because everyone they admit is strong in that area, so other than meeting a certain threshold, it doesn't impress them.</p>

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<p>OK Mini, I'll bite. What does this mean?</p>

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<p>Football player.</p>

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<p>Ah!!!!!!!!</p>

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<p>
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Class rank and SAT scores are the LEAST significant data points for Ivy level admissions. That's because everyone they admit is strong in that area, so other than meeting a certain threshold, it doesn't impress them.

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<p>If only we could convince non-CC kids and parents of this, calmom. It would save everyone a lot of grief.</p>

<p>I agree that it's a waste of time to try to figure out why little Susie didn't get into HYP (once a certain threshold of curriculum rigor, test scores and GPA has been met). Just when you think you've figured out why Susie didn't get into H (her essays stunk, she didn't have enough leadership positions, she got a B in Senior English), she gets into Y or P! </p>

<p>It's not a crapshoot, but constructing a class at HYP is like making sausage--and we don't get a ring side seat. I would think that coming from a school that has a history of sending kids to a certain college would be a plus, not a minus. The adcoms are comfortable with the quality of the kids coming from your school.</p>

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<p>I agree with this...but what about the small rural school where the very first kid gets accepted to one of these schools? There really isn't a "track record" there. How likely is it for another student from such a school...and does the school really care one way or another that they accepted ONE student from that school in a previous year.</p>

<p>From what you are all saying...it doesn't matter. I guess that's good!!</p>

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<p>Ditto what Northstarmom said coming from a long time Yale alumni interviewer. From my observations, Yale isn't giving credits of demerits for the high school you attend.</p>

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<p>On the other hands, would a high school have a bad reputation with Harvard if the students keep turning them down? Hard to believe, but I just looked at Naviance, and my D's high school has not had any student accepted to attend over the past 3 years, although they did get offers from Harvard. Well, I know it's a nonsense proposition, but I am home alone and I have plenty of time to think silly :-)</p>

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<p>Now your situation is interesting, hillbillie, and probably pretty rare so we don't worry a lot about it. Harvard does factor in a 80% yield, which means that 20% do choose elsewhere.</p>

<p>Where do these kids go?</p>

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<p>Well two kids were accepted to Harvard from my son's class - one chose Yale instead and my son chose Carnegie Mellon.</p>

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<p>I think that every kid at our local high school who was accepted to H went to H.</p>

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<p>"Ah!!!!!!!!"</p>

<p>Special kind of football player. Offensive lineman. At Ivies, big ones are as scarce as hens' teeth. I'd figure their admit rate at 50%, if weighing over 280. Other than giving contributions in the double digit millions, I think this is by far the easiest ticket into an Ivy.</p>

<p>"I think that every kid at our local high school who was accepted to H went to H."</p>

<p>Where we live, there are very few, and probably because H is regularly turned down for BYU (and we had one who turned them down for Calvin College.)</p>

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<p>The kid in my neighborhood chose MIT over H. I don't personally know the rest of them.</p>

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<p>Harvard's football roster has 11 players @280 lbs or more, so "scarce as hens' teeth" is an exaggeration.</p>

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<p>
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Where do these kids go?

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<p>Mine chose Yale. Harvard's yield last year was reported at 76%. Still the highest in the nation, but not 80%.</p>