<p>It would be interesting to know if other colleges get wind of the likely letter. I was accepted to Harvard EA and then got the likely letter to Yale, so I wonder if being accepted EA may also prompt a likely letter.</p>
<p>the question is, which school are you gonna choose?</p>
<p>i guess deferees don't get likely letters</p>
<p>Could someone please post a little bit more about what is in the letter?
Has anyone gotten one of them after an e-mail verifying that Yale has your application? Thanks</p>
<p>Hmm i only got a postcard verifying Yale has my app - I didn't get any email. </p>
<p>The letter basically says that the admissions officer liked your app a lot, and how the adcom really thinks Yale is right for you, and vice versa. For me as a prospective science major, the letter also talked about Yale's Perspectives in Science program, so I presume that if you wanna major in humanities, they would highlight some other relevant program to you, should you get such a letter.</p>
<p>The letter also invites you to Bulldog days, and says that if there is no negative change in your school record, you can expect the formal acceptance letter to be mailed in April. </p>
<p>Yep - the letter's quite long, about 1.5 pages in my case, personally signed with well wishes from the Dean of Admissions.</p>
<p>WOW.... too bad that didnt happen to me :( :( :( :(!!!!!!!!!!!!</p>
<p>Cheer up!!! It's only a likely letter - you could very well get a formal acceptance letter in April - don't give up hope!=)</p>
<p>thanks for the info.- and congrats! :) I'll keep you posted if anything heads my way....</p>
<p>slicmlic2001, I have no idea yet. I'm waiting to hear from a few others before making the difficult decision.</p>
<p>mit_hopefulgirl, other than MIT and Yale, where else did you apply? What's your first choice?</p>
<p>I applied to MIT, Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Duke and Cornell. Actually MIT, Harvard and Yale are my top choices, but for me as an international, MIT is VERY hard to get into. And I'm kind of giving up hopes on Harvard because of the record no. of people who applied there this year, and the huge no. of applicants from my country.</p>
<p>So in short, unless MIT accepts me, I'll be going to Yale=)</p>
<p>(I applied all RD btw)</p>
<p>
[quote]
...and the huge no. of applicants from my country.
[/quote]
do you know roughly how many? a ballpark figure? from my country, less than 15 applicant every year.</p>
<p>my country? easily more than a hundred or so.. my school alone has like maybe 60 applying?</p>
<p>YEah that's pretty awesome. I got a letter of acceptance to YSS just recently dated Feb 7th, so I don't know when exactly it is that they send them out... Anyone else doing the Summer Program???</p>
<p>Woohoo I got mine and cried last week. I was wondering, do kids get likelies from more than one ivy? I've heard that they talk amongst themselves on who they're accepting, but that could just be hearsay.</p>
<p>do deferred people for EA get it too?</p>
<p>i'd think if they wanted you that much, they would just accept you EA...no offense.</p>
<p>I'm not sure I follow the logic of academics supporting a likely letter. Byerly et al, do you really mean to suggest that a non-athlete, non-legacy, non-URM applicant might receive a likely letter on the basis of strong academics?</p>
<p>I know of examples of students with perfect test records and school grades/class rank who are otherwise well-rounded yet have not received likelies from any major school. Does this strike you as an exception or the reality of the admissions process?</p>
<p>Of course. It used to be a given that schools saw a strong athletic program as a recruiting tool. (Attracting applicants generally, and increasing alumni financial support as well.) They still do. </p>
<p>But now, a school's reputation depends heavily, at all levels, on its USNews ranking, and schools are beginning to understand that snagging a few National Merit Scholars can pay off in the same way an all-state lineman can pay off.</p>
<p>Thus the emergence of the "likely letter" (and, of course, where legal, "merit aid") as tools to raise yield among the top students in the applicant pool.</p>
<p>Do these adcoms ever think that the likely letter may backfire? I mean, for those people who get admitted but never got a "likely" letter, it sends a message that "we want you, but not that much." Kinda like an insult...For example, I got into Stanford EA and was considering Duke as a viable option. Of course, I knew it would be really hard to get it (and am still aware that my chances of getting in RD are slim to none). But even if I did get in now, I'm pretty sure I would not even consider Duke because they don't consider me to be at the "top" of their applicant pool, in comparison to Stanford, who admitted me early. Does anyone else follow that logic? I think likely letters for non-athletes are stupid.</p>
<p>The competition for the top students is fierce, just as it is for the top athletes. Schools have learned that they have to go AFTER the kids they want, or they will lose them to somebody else who does a better job of recruiting.</p>
<p>Just consider turning your reaction around: </p>
<p>Say you applied to Stanford, Duke and Cornell RD, but <em>one</em> of them didn't wait until April, but sent you a love note before the end of Febuary saying "we want you, we need you, we love you."</p>
<p>Even if all three eventially admitted you, don't think you'd have a soft spot in your heart for that school which gave you your first kiss?</p>
<p>I think their surveys and stats show that you would. And THAT is why use of the "likely letter" device is exploding.</p>