<p>Sorry for the ignorant question, but what is a likely letter?
Also What kind of people receive them? and if you don't get one does that mean that you're rejected?
Thanks for your answers.</p>
<p>Some schools, notably the Ivies do not release official acceptance offers before a certain date (tomorrow, for example).</p>
<p>However, for a limited number of students, they send letters before the official date that basically say “We thought you’d like to know that when the official decisions are released, it is very likely that you’ll be accepted.”</p>
<p>“Very likely” pretty much means 100% unless you do something in the interim that would get you rescinded if you did it after you were accepted, and students who receive such a letter can essentially consider that they’ve been accepted. (I’ve never heard of a likely letter that didn’t lead to an acceptance.)</p>
<p>In the Ivies – recruited atheletes often get likely letters. Also, a limited number of students. I think each school has different criteria. Last year, for example, Cornell issued letters to certain URMs and some Female Engineering Students. </p>
<p>In any event, MOST students who are admitted do not receive likely letters, and not getting one does not mean you’re rejected – even if you’re in a group where some students have received one.</p>
<p>Not all schools issue likely letters at all.</p>
<p>It is a letter many of the elite colleges (Columbia, Dartmouth, Penn, etc.) send to students 1-3 months before acceptances are officially made. The letter essentially states that they will officially be admitted to the college on decision day (tomorrow for this year’s applicants) provided there is no major misconduct. Mainly applicants who are particularly qualified or are athletes may receive the letter. Because the letter can be used as a tool to attract students, it may target specific groups like URMs or people from a particular region. The vast majority of people accepted by these colleges did not receive a likely letter.</p>
<p>The Search function works really well for this kind of question, use: likely</p>