<p>And I'm wondering why students who are being accepted to all of their top schools, all of which are elite and competitive, are not receiving likelies from any of them. If they're good enough to have schools to choose from, why aren't any of the schools pursuing them?</p>
<p>The short answer is that they don't have to. So why send the likely letters?</p>
<p>I think the group you posit must be very small ... no more than 200 or so at the max ... who apply, and are admitted, to Harvard, Yale Princeton and others. I wager that a sizeable fraction of these people are now being contacted, in one way or another, well prior to April 1.</p>
<p>Byerly does Princeton send likely letters to people other than recruited athletes? If so, how many? Do intls get them?</p>
<p>Yes they do send them, and no, I don't no how many. Most schools (Dartmouth being the exception) seem to be a little embarassed by the "likely letter" thing, and strive to play it down. After all, this kind of activity is taking place right at the sharp edge of conflict among the schools, as they strive to out-maneuver each other for top candidates.</p>
<p>I would doubt they send likelies to internationals, who are individually less "likely" to be the object of fierce inter-school competition.</p>
<p>Incidentally, Princeton invented the likely letter concept, some years ago, as a way to finesse the Ivies' common April 1 notification date in order to lock up recruited athletes.</p>
<p>wow they've hushed it up pretty well in that case but then again I'm basing my opinion on what I've seen in these forums...</p>
<p><< I wager that a sizeable fraction of these people are now being contacted, in one way or another, well prior to April 1.>></p>
<p>Without knowing exact figures on this sort of thing, it's hard to say for certain. However, I know of several individuals in that situation in years past who did not receive likely letters.</p>
<p>Perhaps it is the "well-lopsided" folks who get those letters - a high SAT score and academic talent are credits to the college and desirable, but perhaps not what justify added recruitment. My impression is that likely letters from the top schools are pretty much limited to the atheletes, URM, legacies, or narrowly specialized talents.</p>
<p>I respectfully disagree.</p>
<p><<i would="" doubt="" they="" send="" likelies="" to="" internationals,="" who="" are="" individually="" less="" "likely"="" be="" the="" object="" of="" fierce="" inter-school="" competition.="">></i></p><i would="" doubt="" they="" send="" likelies="" to="" internationals,="" who="" are="" individually="" less="" "likely"="" be="" the="" object="" of="" fierce="" inter-school="" competition.="">
<p>Likely letters WERE sent to internationals. (I can't tell you how I know, but lets just say that the admission office comes in here...)</p>
<p><<my impression="" is="" that="" likely="" letters="" from="" the="" top="" schools="" are="" pretty="" much="" limited="" to="" atheletes,="" urm,="" legacies,="" or="" narrowly="" specialized="" talents.="">></my></p>
<p>Agreed. Most of the likelies I seen so far were sent to athletes (especially football players) and people with narrowly specialized talents.</p>
</i>
<p>To those who got likelies too - am I right to say that we can't access Yale's admitted student site till April 1? Thanks=)</p>
<p>What's on that admitted site anyway?=)</p>
<p>The admitted student site is okay. The best part is a bunch of different email addresses for students participating in activities (academic, athletic, and otherwise). Some admissions stats. A map of admitted students and current students (you can enter your zipcode and it will be in the general area, although my dot is like 3 miles from where I actually live. Oh well though).</p>
<p>Oh, you can access the Financial Aid site and everything, and view your award letters online. Which is extremely useful.</p>
<p>Anyhow, that's all on that.</p>
<p>If Albert Einstein was applying to Ivy League colleges today, I bet you none of them would have accepted him based on his credentials. Our entire selection process is biased. Please comment.</p>
<p>Albert Einstein was 18 in 1898. If he had applied to his future home, Princeton, they would have turned him down because he was Jewish.</p>
<p>Princeton was probably the most socially exclusive of American universities, and it had always prided itself on its cachet. When the Social Register began publishing early in the twentieth century, it chose Princeton's colors, orange and black, as the colors of its binding. Princeton's selective admissions policy, its informal quota for Jewish applicants, and its eating clubs reinforced its elitist reputation. </p>
<p>As late as the class of 1935, for example, Princeton had only five Jews, and the university's Jewish students were made to feel that, as a group, they were aliens.</p>
<p>So those who got likelies can't get access to the admitted site yet right? </p>
<p>Actually I don't think "narrowly-specialised" would be a good term - more like being passionate about a certain field/interest. Does Yale like hardcore geeks anyway?</p>
<p>I personally think one of the reasons I got my likely was that my interviewer was this bigwig lawyer (i didn't realize it because we met at Borders), and I absentmindedly made a comment about rising medical costs and trial lawyers. I debated him very well on tort reform, amongst other things. He was very impressed. That and my essay was about getting involved at Yale, having school spirit, and (subtly) giving back as an alum.
Now, don't start yelling "suck-up", but its true. I have tons of stuff to back up my school spirit, and I'm probably going to be one of those alums that "tithes" 10% of my salary back to Yale. But otherwise, I have no clue.</p>
<p>Just got my Likely today!!!</p>
<p>I'm so shaken up. I got into Harvard EA and wasn't anticipating going anywhere else . . . that may change; who knows? </p>
<p>I was actually never contacted for an interview by Yale. And, to address an above issue, since I don't have a 4.0 or even a 1500, but am considered "exceptionally unique" (in the words of someone I know) because of my accomplishments, I guess I'm well-lopsided?</p>
<p>"Just got my Likely today!!!</p>
<p>I'm so shaken up. I got into Harvard EA and wasn't anticipating going anywhere else . . . that may change; who knows? </p>
<p>"</p>
<p>???? do you realize how you sound?</p>
<p>Oh! I got into Harvard! I didn't think I could get into ANY OTHEr college! It's so weird! Can you guys explain how I could get into Harvard and also another college?
It's totally unheard of!</p>
<p>LOL I can appreciate your sarcasm.</p>
<p>Hahahahaha, sarcasm appreciated.</p>
<p>But, you misread what I said. I didn't say I didn't think I'd get in anywhere else; I said I didn't anticipate GOING anywhere else, meaning my mind was pretty much made up until today. </p>
<p>Still, If I'd worded it differently, you may have had a point. Or not--no acceptance is guaranteed. My friend's cousin (Harvard junior, now) was accepted to HYPC--and rejected by Rutgers University. Another friend of mine was accepted to Harvard EA last year and rejected by Columbia. Our valedictorian last year was rejected by Harvard, waitlisted by Brown and Columbia, and accepted by Yale. </p>
<p>No guarantees, my friends.</p>
<p>(from today's Daily Dartmouth)</p>
<p>saxfreq1128... why did you apply to harvard early if it wasnt a sure top choice? fin aid issues or just cuz?... i know a lot of people apply to schools early just to do it but there was a discussion on another thread about trophy hunting and students who apply early to one school and then regular to many others just to collect acceptances.. dont mean to jump all over you or anything lol, and i dont care bc im not applying this year so you're not in my seat (lol) but it just seems sorta wrong to apply early to a school you dont have as a clear first choice
is this the case for you or do you have a different issue?</p>