I’ve had some significant development regarding a project I did.
I applied to some Ivies, but I’m not sure if I’d be too late to send the updates. Should I still send anyways?
If so, where exactly would I send them to?
Unless this “update” documents some type of major (national level) recognition of this project’s success or its intellectual worth, I’d respectfully suggest you not do so.
What can it hurt? It demonstrates interest even if it is something not major such as we won the county food drive due to my leadership (not said that way of course). Worst case they will ignore it, best case they will take it as an indication that you are interested in the school and not blowing off senior year. Yes I know these people have not slept in weeks. I would use large print and limit it to half a page using clear language, with maybe an attachment or a link that they can look at if they want or not
I’d be very, very surprised to learn that any selective college has not made its basic admission decisions, since they should all be going out by April 1st. They are probably just finalizing financial offers. If you are waitlisted, then it’s worth your while. Can you imagine them stopping the presses, yanking one acceptance to replace it with yours, over any update you might have, because that is what you are suggesting they might do?
@SaphireNY (re post #2): "What can it hurt?"
It’s a week or less before RD acceptance decisions are announced, admissions staffers are tired, they have been working 80+ hour weeks for over two months, and they are under a great deal of performance and schedule pressure. An applicant submits a near-useless update, it add nothing of significance to the file, and almost all decisions have already been made. However, it squanders valuable staff time and IT resources during the annual admissions cycle’s most hectic week. A staffer – having reviewed this self-serving and meaningless (at least as s/he perceives it) update thinks: "What a selfish, insensitive, and stupid kid. He is such a self-centered dolt that he doesn’t even consider how busy we are and how inconsequential this update factually is. I don’t believe an applicant like this deserves to attend X, and I’ll see to it he doesn’t."
I don’t know if this happens, but I do know admissions staffers are human and have been under great time constraints and performance pressures since January. Is the risk worth the potential benefit?
Except that they are also concerned about yield. They want to know that if they advocate for you that you have some interest in coming. If the last time they heard from you was December 31they do not know that.
If all decisions have been made what does it matter. While they may not go into the pile and replace your rejection with an admission, they are unlikely to replace it the other way just because you wrote to them to tell them you still want to come and were successful in becoming president of the bumper sticker club. If you are in that last group of maybes who knows
The OP has to decide for himself. A friend has some minor news and has sent out some recently. Reactions have ranged from wow amazing achievement (it is not I promise) keep up the good work, to Ty it will go in your file to nothing. The wows were mostly targets, the Ty and ignore were low and high reaches
@SaphireNY (in post #5): “While they may not go into the pile and replace your rejection with an admission, they are unlikely to replace it the other way just because you wrote to them to tell them you still want to come.”
How do you know this, do you have any substantiation for this assertion?
Admissions is essentially a zero-sum-game, isn’t it? There are (more or less) a finite number of freshman seats in every class. If applicant A’s comportment and values are perceived as vexing, inappropriate and/or troublesome (perhaps even demonstrating questionable maturity, sensitivity, and judgement), many first tier institutions that have an approximate 5 to 15 percent acceptance rate and also have tens-of-thousands of eminently qualified denied applicants would obviously have NO problem finding a suitable replacement (including yield).
Please remember, I never said this was probable; rather, my point was – and is – the likely advantages (very slight, if any) may not outweigh the potential risks (certainly rare, but possibly draconian).
Well for one thing my friend’s guidance counselor (a woman who has been doing this for years) told him to write the email (and it wa a minor regional level, I promise nothing very impressive for January let alone this week), maybe she is wrong and misguided, I have no idea and no I have never been a fly on the wall of an admission office so maybe you are right
No I do not think all decisions are made for a release that is at least a week away. If for no other reason than the weather has been brutal here and worse in New England.
For better or worse. Maybe they are sitting there with the last pile of middle of the road applicants (Ivy version of course, so 2300, 3.95 UWClass Presidents who lettered in 5 sports and won debate v 2310, 3.92UW SADD Regional Chair who lettered in 6 sports and presented to Congress). Maybe they admitted too many and are making cuts. Then it can go either way, you are showing interest or you are an inconsiderate brat. Personally I think it is their job and an email will not take up time, a phone call that would not be my choice. Someone posted on another thread that she calld Michigan to find out when her son could get his results and spoke to his admissions counselor. http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-michigan-ann-arbor/1740630-university-of-michigan-rd-2019-official-thread-p11.html It is Post 158.
I think all the definite rejects and admits (future nobles) were decided at the time they sent out likely letters two weeks ago. For everyone else, including me with my middling stats, I have no idea. Look at the schools who have been sending them out for days or weeks such as UC Irvine. Those places are allowed to send them out, have been and they are not finished
Again I do not know anything. Top Tier’s advice may be the safest