<p>I don't know if it means much, I get letters from Ivy Leaguers all the time, and pretty much everyone I know has been getting letters like crazy.. so it might mean nothing.
Of course, I like to think that I'm special for getting them though :]</p>
<p>I've been swimming in letters lately, but i read somewhere that colleges will send letters to kids just so they can reject them and make the college more selective and better their ranking...</p>
<p>Sorry I re-ordered your thread :[</p>
<p>I think that the top colleges mail stuff to students based on their SAT scores. So, they aren't doing it only to make their admissions more selective. However, that is a big part of it. </p>
<p>But it does feel good. It felt awesome when I got a letter from Yale =]</p>
<p>An acceptance letter would have been nicer, though. =[</p>
<p>These letters are from automatically generated mailing lists based on PSAT/SAT scores. All they indicate is that you've done pretty well on those tests. They're marketing tools, not personal letters, alas.</p>
<p>I only get letters from bad schools, lol.</p>
<p>They're very persistent, though - as if they think the more letters they send, the more likely I am to attend.</p>
<p>yes ive often wondered about this, i mean my SAT scores arent that great (1500) and ive gotten letters from Columbia and Vanderbilt.</p>
<p>They send out thousands of them each year, you aren't alone.</p>
<p>I HIGHLY DOUBT IT</p>
<p>I did mediocre on my PSATs (>170)</p>
<p>I still got many mailings about information sessions going on with all the IVIES, Duke, and Georgetown.</p>
<p>Those letters go out for different reasons. Test performance is always a biggie, of course, but colleges can "order" other information, too. For instance, if they want to recruit more students from the Southeast or Northwest or they need potential Romance Language majors or ice hockey players or members of a particular minority group, then your letters may have been the result of your zip code, interests, or background. There are typically score cut-offs for those, too, but they may not be as high as the more general cut-offs for students who don't fall into one of the sought-after categories.</p>
<p>Take these letters as an invitation to apply or to get more information about the college in question but don't get excited thinking that you've scaled some initial admissions hurdle, because the letters really mean little, especially at the most selective schools.</p>
<p>Here's an article about one college's recruiting practices. Note the large number of letters. </p>
<p>Online</a> Extra: How Harvard Gets its Best and Brightest</p>
<p>Haha, I know it's all just a marketing scheme, but I still keep my letters from Yale, Dartmouth, and Brown :-)</p>
<p>I don't think these colleges have access to your PSAT and SAT scores. I think they get you from the questionnaire you answered. You self report your gpa and course work and potential major.</p>
<p>What it usually means is that you filled out the PSAT/SAT questionairres or something like them in a way to make the these colleges feel you are a viable candidate. So yes, it does mean something. My second son got zero in terms of competitive college stuff. This one got a lot. Big difference is probably field of interest and the resultant SAT scores from testing. I would not, however, bank on these mailings as anything other than advertisement, as even those so contacted do not have a great admittance rate just from the # of mailings that go out and # accepted by these schools. That selectivity figure is deadly.</p>
<p>No, you're extremely special.</p>
<p>Ok, I'm lying. They send these to pretty much everybody. Harvard sent an application to pretty much everyone in my school who took the PSAT. The only reason I can see for that is to increase the number of applications sent to them so that i) they make more money and ii) their acceptance rate gets lower so they look more selective, even if they are just rejecting more average students who they misled.</p>
<p>That's the ivy league for you.</p>
<p>EDIT: Sorry, I read the first post as the OP's. I didn' realize there'd been a mistake. Well, I agree with your second point as you can see :)</p>
<p>
[quote]
The only reason I can see for that is to increase the number of applications sent to them so that i) they make more money
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Colleges lose money on every application. The budget of any admission office far exceeds the revenue the office receives from application fees (which are waived for low-income applicants anyway). </p>
<p>
[quote]
I don't think these colleges have access to your PSAT and SAT scores.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Colleges don't have access to the actual scores, but they purchase lists of names of students who meet their designated criteria, and one of these could be, "Students who score above ___________ ." </p>
<p>So, if your name is on the list, then your scores met that requirement, but they don't see the specific numbers.</p>
<p>If they really lose money on every application, then why do they send out so many to kids instead of letting the truly interested students come to them?</p>
<p>I don't think it takes much money for Harvard officials to open up a folder, see a C or a low SAT score, and say "Next!"</p>
<p>I get tons of letters, but mostly from mediocre schools.
I got some from Brown, Dartmouth, and Boston College.
I know it means absolutely nothing, but I guess I can pretend it means I'm wanted. :)</p>
<p>I did not know colleges lose money on each app, but I can believe it. Especially since it isn't just an app they usually send out but loads of other mail including some expensive brochures, viewbooks and other advertisements. They are willing to lose that money to get the apps because it helps with their ratings and ensures a large pool of applicants from which they can choose. With more kids applying to many colleges, the colleges need more applications. What tail chasing exercise!</p>