<p>NJ_Dad - I wouldn't exactly say sports are a focus of Chancellor Wrighton. There are only a few teams that ever make the playoffs, and well, a D3 title is still quite meaningless in the prestige of the school.</p>
<p>oncampus - sorry but I disagree. Sports is certaintly not the only focus at WashU, but it is a focus that did not exist 15 years ago. A school does not begin consistently winning championships, even at DIII, without recruiting athletes. In the last alum magazine WashU highlights the achievements of the athletic program. The administration obviously believes it carries weight with the alumni. For such a competitive school, it is valid information for prospective students to consider.</p>
<p>Let's see what championships have been won since Wrighton came in, that aren't volleyball (since they won more NCAA titles in the few years before he came in than after):</p>
<p>Women's Basketball – 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001
Men's Basketball – 2008</p>
<p>Let's look at team appearances in NCAA tournaments, now:
Women's Basketball – 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
Men's Basketball – 1963, 1964, 1965, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2008 </p>
<p>You can't put the reward on Wrighton's shoulders. Anyway, did you ever compare your daughter's other application data (extracurriculars, essays) to the others from her school?</p>
<p>I would say being a legacy does play a factor. I was accepted by Wash U. I have a dad that works for Wash U, a sister who attends, and a twin brother who also applied (he got in as well). While I have good grades, ecs, recs, and a decent essay, my SAT score was only 1990. This probably makes me less qualified than many people who were rejected.</p>
<p>What you get on yur SAT does't really make you more qualified to attend a certain college. It's only a standardized test. While there generally is somewhat of a correlation between intelligence and SAT score it does not predict how successful one will be in college. I got in with a 1970 and I'm not even a legacy. They let you in because they looked beyond the numbers! I also happen to know 2 kids who were legacies who applied ED, got deferred, and are now on the waiting list.</p>