I Got My Likely (acceptance) Letter!

Colleges and Universities A-Z Yale University
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<p>The original rationalization made sense. Ivies could never recruit decent athletes if the athletic scholarship schools (Stanford, Duke, etc.) extended them offers in early November and asked for immediate "commitment" letters, but the Ivies could only say "wait until December 15" or "wait until April 1" and then <em>maybe</em> we'll admit you.</p>

<p>Extending the concept to other desirable students is a more dubious proposition. There is no reason to believe that top students, talented URMs, etc will all be snapped up if the Ivies don't finesse the nominal December 15 and April 1 admit dates.</p>

<p>The competitive pressures are great, however, and the thinking is that if you want the best "recruits" - whether athletic or otherwise - you have to after them. Stats show that in college admissions, as in love, he who asks first sometimes gets.</p>

<p>The trouble is that with "likelies" as with all addictions, its hard to stop one you start. The other schools can - and do - fight back, and the trickle of "likely letters" to non-athletes has become a torrent. At some point, the April 1 common admission date will become obsolete. </p>

<p>Unless something happens that I don't know about, this is the direction we are heading. April 1 will be meaningless, and we will have, in effect, "rolling admissions" to the elites.</p>

<p>There is nothing inherently wrong with this, except that competitive pressures may cause schools to keep one-upping each other - looking to nail down the recruits earlier and earlier,</p>

<p>Just look: many colleges are starting to mail their propaganda to jr. high students now!</p>

<p>There were benefits for all - including students - when everybody abided with the letter and spirit of the aqreement to send admit letters on April 1.</p>

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<p>Thanks, Byerly. I was hoping someone would finally express this opinion :)</p>

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<p>Byerly, are you saying that other ivies will know I'm a "likely" and they'll send me letters too?</p>

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<p>drdomuch, enable ur private messages, i wanna ask u somethin....and its private :p</p>

<p>well, not really...its just, i live in socal too- AND I HAVENT GOTTEN MY DAMN LIKELY LETTER YET!!!! :mad:</p>

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<p>me neither !!!!!</p>

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<p>The danger with the likely letters is now people are going to start expecting them, when in reality it seems like only 100 are sent out to non-athletes. That's only a chunk of the people who will eventually be accepted RD...so don't fret if you don't get one.</p>

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<p>The candidate receiving multiple likely letters is a growing phenomenon - usually talented URMs or certain high SAT scorers.</p>

<p>As for the poster who thinks there are Ivies sending "only" 100 likelies - dream on ... those days are long past. Most Ivies send 100+ likelies to recruited athletes alone.</p>

<p>And often the schools don't stop with the likely letter, because they recognize the "recruit" may be getting other likely letters. No. Faculty members, administrators, students etc are calling to shmooze - all in hopes of wrapping up the candidate before the "opposition" does.</p>

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<p>To Byerly - the likely letter clearly states that less then 100 out of the 19,700 applicants to Yale received such a letter. Do you think the letter referred to only the non-athletic applicants, or are the figures slightly inaccurate?</p>

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<p>Well I'd have to see the letter. You might have to parse it pretty carefully. And from what you say, you're talking about the 2008 application year, not the current 2009 process. (ie, 19,700 apps, etc.)</p>

<p>Its a little like schools saying applying early isn't an advantage, dispite the higher acceptance rate, because "people in the early pool tend to be highly qualified."</p>

<p>It would certainly be amazing, if true, THIS year, since there must be 10-15 Yale "likely" recipients who have surfaced on this and other chat boards alone. The odds of that happening would be remote if there were only 100 likelies - even given the disproportionate representation of prospective Yalies among CC posters.</p>

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<p>upandover: that takes me out then huh...ah well, nvm : )</p>

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<p>I think they are pretty rare - 100 or so (not including athletes) is probably accurate - probably around 1-2% of applicants. MIT-Hopeful - your name hints as to the reason for your likely. You are no doubt a very accomplished science student! Congratulations!</p>

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<p>Heh thanks A.S.A.P!=)I wouldn't say I'm a "very accomplished science student", but just one who really likes science=) But though MIT's very much one of my top choices, I must say that this nice likely letter really really tempts you to choose Yale over other premier colleges. But then I shall just wait for the rest of the app results to be out though. </p>

<p>To Byerly - The letter's dated 10 Jan 2005, and it says "from the record number of over 19,700 applications we received Last year,...." - so I guess the figure refers to the no. of applicants who applied in 2004 to enter in 2005? I suppose the 10-15 Yale likelies may have included athletes as well? But I guess it's possible... i think lots of people on CC have pretty good stats - I mean they'd have to be enthusiastic enough about going to great colleges to check out CC in the first place=)</p>

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<p>did you get your likely with or without an interview?</p>

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<p>I had an interview with an American living in Singapore - the Vice-President of the Yale Club over here.</p>

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<p>MIT girl: it sounds to me as if the letter you got referred to a claimed "non-athlete" likely letter count for the Class of 2008. We will have to wait and see what number they acknowledge for the Class of 2009.</p>

<p>If recent history is any guide, the number of likely letters will continue to mushroom at Yale and at other Ivies.</p>

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<p>The January 10th thing really makes me wonder what goes on behind closed doors, there and elsewhere. I had a very,very good source tell me they had not even begun reading, the week AFETR those likely letters were dated. I am bewildered.</p>

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<p>Congrats! Glad to see another one of us going places! Good job and make us proud.</p>

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<p>yeah cruncha, it's hard to believe how some have already got likely letters when the applications of many students (including me) have probably not even been filed as yet. on the one hand, according to their website, yale takes interviews very seriously and many times the content of the interview report has been keystone in deciding if an applicant is to be admitted or not. and then on the other hand, we have people who got likely letters even without interviews (ofcourse mitgirl is an exception to this). there are so many ambiguities in this likely letter buisiness that i would not want to get any false hopes up even if i do recieve one, for in case (i do hope not) i'm denied admission, the rejection will be much harder to swallow.</p>

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<p>I just got my likely letter today! Wow Yale was my reach school I never expected this in a million years. Does this mean I'm in?</p>

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<p>pretty much.....dont do anything stupid. Congratulations</p>