Is it me or did Columbia underenrolled by a large amount?

<p>Just comparing the other waitlist responses from other schools, it seems that Columbia was the first one to respond to the waitlist by sending out acceptances starting on May 2 and a lot of people on this forum reported being taken off the waitlist (including myself :D). Anyone have any idea of the enrollment rate or how many people they underenrolled? I am just curious to know because this is the biggest waitlist year ever.</p>

<p>It is apparent that Columbia tried to match Harvard's acceptance rate of 7.something % without really realizing that no matter what Columbia is just not Harvard. </p>

<p>Columbia probably will pull a large large amount off the waitlist <em>cross fingers for me :)</em> especially when HYP start taking people off the waitlist.</p>

<p>Did you say yes to Columbia btw dwindlelights?</p>

<p>Yes I did and I am so excited for August Orientation! Hope to see you off the waitlist and there in August with all of us! :)</p>

<p>Dwindle, I'd think you're really right. I mean, I was going over last year's waitlist acceptances and there weren't more than two or three I could find here on CC, and this year it seems that twelve people have ALREADY been accepted off CC and that's not even considering the extended waitlist. Oh, and the other tons that would've got in that AREN'T on CC.</p>

<p>It's really sort of frightening, because if you think about it, that means that they've already accepted at least forty (and most probably way more) waitlist-ees. Which really means they must've under-enrolled, and majorly.</p>

<p>Still VERY, VERY hopeful for myself. Aaaaahhhhh!!!</p>

<p>Hope you get in andromeda; I think you deserve it because I have never seen someone so excited about Columbia as you. :D</p>

<p>Wait, they already have an extended waitlist?</p>

<p>Thank you, Dwindle! Yeah, I'm pretty much nutso over Columbia.. I'm guessing my post in the waitlist limbo led you to believe that?</p>

<p>Anyway, I came across this and while it doesn't include Columbia, it says Harvard's taking off over 150-175 students this year. So Columbia'll DEFINITELY be a lot more than forty.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/09/education/09admissions.html?hp%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/09/education/09admissions.html?hp&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>I'll hope for the best.</p>

<p>Oh, and if I haven't said so before, congratulations, Dwindle! You're in for an eventful four years.</p>

<p>Thanks for the congrats. :)</p>

<p>Well I think Harvard was being cautious this year so they admitted fewer students during the regular admission; thus, they need to admit even more students from the waitlist. I am not so sure about Columbia's situation.</p>

<p>So just because columbia started early and you have more CCers getting in doesn't mean they're taking in more kids than other colleges. Those facts are indicative of and it's probably true that they're taking in more kids than last year's 45. I'd say it'll be more like 90-100 like princeton and penn estimated. Starting early could just be a strategy to get waitlist students to enroll, and CCers getting in more than last year could be randomness, but yes they're taking in many more off the waitlist this year.</p>

<p>
[quote]
it says Harvard's taking off over 150-175 students this year.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Holy guacamole. Isn't the average for Ivies about... ten? XD This is certainly the year for College Craziness.</p>

<p>things are looking up for the rest of the waitlisters haha ;)</p>

<p>really nervous for the email on the 15th </p>

<p>I think the extended waitlist would be horrible because you CAN still get in, but it's such a stretch</p>

<p>Is everyone positive that it's the 15th...as in did someone from Columbia's admissions office say that we would all be e-mailed by the 15th? I'm so nervous, I can't even study for my Bio and Physics AP tomorrow...</p>

<p>ya you will hear something (accept, reject, extended) by the 15th...tha'ts what they told me when I called anyway</p>

<p>aww bio and physics ewww I am sorry :(</p>

<p>What's with this extended waitlist stuff? XD This year is so weird.</p>

<p>I think I'd rather be rejected than Extended Waitlist. But I would love to get accepted above all else.</p>

<p>I am nervous--only two more days left! But I'm glad that they tell us so soon, instead of by June 15th. Unless it's the extended waitlist. -__-</p>

<p>I think that more than likely those of us who haven't heard by now are rejected. =/ </p>

<p>today i saw a DHL car around my neighborhood and i was thinking omg maybe there's something from Columbia for me?? but lol nothing. ehh i've pretty much lost hope right now anyway.</p>

<p>agreed a few will be kept on the list incase there is a domino like effect from other schools going deep in their waitlists</p>

<p>@art_star</p>

<p>Me too. Actually, I saw it a few blocks away while I was walking home. =/</p>

<p>
[quote]
It is apparent that Columbia tried to match Harvard's acceptance rate of 7.something % without really realizing that no matter what Columbia is just not Harvard.

[/quote]
:D:D</p>

<p>i wonder if i will go to a school that waitlisted me. because they obvious were like "eh, all the other applicants decided not to go so maybe we'll take you"</p>

<p>not to diminish anyone's getting off the waitlist--at least you were one of 48750827450 waitlistees!</p>

<p>an admission offer is an admission offer. all are essentially created equal. how you get one won't matter to anyone ever again.</p>

<p>there are three explanations for the waitlist:</p>

<p>(1) Fewer people accepted the RD offers of admission than they were anticipating (lower yield)
(2) They admitted fewer people period in RD than they should have, and need to backfill with waitlistees (lower admissions rate)
(3) Admit rate and yield were at typical levels, they just put a whole bunch more people on the waitlist than they usually do and are taking more out of it due to an expanded freshman class size</p>

<p>I find (1) and (3) much less likely than (2). So many of the waitlist admits may have otherwise been admitted in RD in another year, they just wanted to game the system for a lower admit rate and still take you.</p>