Mailings

<p>My daughter is a high school junior, and has started receiving mail from, Harvard,Princeton, etc. She seems to think that it is no big deal, and they mail out to everyone who scores well on the PSAT and SATS. She seems to think she probably doesn't have a chance of getting in with 8% admissions rate. Have other parents, of past students found that these mailings panned out and their child was actually accepted to the Ivies etc.? My husband and I told her they must be interested, or they wouldn't waste their time. Are we correct??</p>

<p>You are unfortunately incorrect. It’s because she checked the box that she’d be interested in information from colleges. Schools don’t have access to her scores unless she specifically chose to report them. Some schools, like Vanderbilt and a few others will start this as early as 9th grade. Most wait until Junior year. This practice is designed to drive up application numbers, thus driving down acceptance rates and increasing the selectivity ranking.</p>

<p>Does she have a chance? That’s a different story. If she’s in the range of the typical student the school admits, then she has a chance. If she gets in, then some intangible or even luck made the rest of the difference.</p>

<p>M</p>

<p>The mailings are basically what your daughter said. They are done based on mainly the test scores. But it does not mean they are not interested, they are very interested in getting as many applications as they could. It is ok to feel good that your daughter has a good test score, but beyond that, how could they personally know about your daughter? It is still generally a long shot to get accepted, and it should not increase your odd if you got a special mailing. Harvard was below 5% for regular decision last year (3.4% to be exact).</p>

<p>Our Junior got one from Harvard tonight, husband and I just laugh! She is so not a canidate but she has recieved these letters from Brown, Harvard, and the Naval Academy (that was really funny).</p>

<p>Goldenwillow - I am surprised they are coming only now. We have been getting them for both kids since sophomore years. They mean nothing. Sorry… :(</p>

<p>They’ll start as soon as a student takes the PSAT for the first time. My son has been getting them from a few schools since he was in 9th grade. The big onslaught comes Junior year.</p>

<p>They serve a noble purpose in that they increase awareness of options for academically strong, but disadvantaged kids. Their main purpose is far more nefarious. They prey on unsuspecting families, giving them unrealistically inflated hopes. It gets better. The mailings from schools with fast apps and waiver of application fees are on their way.</p>

<p>M</p>

<p>D2’s been getting stuff from NYU since 7th or 8th grade (as soon as she registered with USA Fencing-the letters mentioned fencing). The commonest place to get names is from the testing companies, but schools can get names from all kinds of places. They mean very little in terms of admission, and serve the purpose of getting the school’s name out. Most kids have heard of Harvard, but maybe not WashU or Dartmouth.</p>

<p>Thanks for your input everyone.</p>

<p>I hate to tell you this but if your daughter put her email address in when she took the PSAT she will be inundated with emails from various colleges who act like she showed them interest even if she didn’t. My son said," These emails better stop or I’m gong to have to change my email address." They do stop right after Jan 1 of your student’s Sr year.</p>

<p>They need more applicants to reject. Helps their reputation more than accepting them. It’s definitely NOT a waste of time from their perspective. Getting rejects is part of the game.</p>

<p>Sorry Goldenwillow. My daughter got tons of mail from colleges she didn’t have an icebergs chance in hell of being accepted to. She actually got tons of mail from a couple of such schools. </p>

<p>Look at your daughter’s SAT/ACT scores, and her GPA. Those are a much more reliable indicator of success at applying to a college than the junk mail (yep…that is what it is) that your daughter will receive.</p>

<p>Our HS college counselor said that although colleges do not actually receive individual students’ PSAT scores, they DO know how a particular high school’s students score on average, or the middle 50% or something. So, if your student checks that box on the PSAT that says “Yes, I would like to receive mailings from colleges” they will get mailings from colleges that would like to attract at least SOME of the students from that high school.</p>

<p>Or would like to reject some of the students from that high school.</p>

<p>Harvard recently sent a letter inviting application and including info. about the “Harvard Financial Aid Initiative.” It seems the purpose of this letter (besides getting high-scoring students from around the country to consider applying to Harvard) is to encourage lower income folks to apply. The brochure and letter are filled with reassurances that Harvard is NOT too expensive for middle class or lower income students. A return postcard specifically for those with an annual income of $80K or less was enclosed. Regardless of income, students/parents are directed to Harvard’s financial aid page and net price calculator.
(S did not check the box on tests to receive info. He does have high PSAT/SAT scores,and I assume that is how he got on the list. He receives few mailings here and there. S is not interested in NE region, and other than grades and scores, he has little else that would make him “Harvard Material.” No plans to apply.)
If nothing else, it was a decent attempt at recruiting for economic diversity.</p>

<p>I’ll bet they didn’t put in the package that they plan to reject 97% of those who bother to apply. (Most of those who get in will be recruited athletes.)</p>

<p>You’re right–they didn’t mention that. But I know better than to waste $75 on an application fee.</p>