<p>I, too, am sorry if my post came across as abrasive or sarcastic. I mainly posted out of frustration at other students/parents who were "surprised" by their WaitList/Reject decision and claimed that they "should have" gotten in for one reason or another.</p>
<p>I wish you and your son/daughter the best of luck and I'm certain they'll end up somewhere great. OR, maybe they will be lucky and be admitted from WUSTL's waitlist and then you can change your username to WUSTLstudent instead of WUSTLhopeful :)</p>
<p>Just to clear up a few points.
I can understand the need to vent and I believe that given the circumstances people should be tolerant of that. At the same time, people have to understand why admited students are put off by some of the more virulent statements. As previously stated, non admission is not a great negative on applicants. Nor is it an indication of potential future decisions by other schools. The "self selecting" applicant pool at washU is of incredible quality. Given that fact, it just means that some people were a better fit (not necessarily better, but only a better fit) than others.</p>
<p>In regard to the admit rate - There were over 23,000 applicants for a freshman class of 1,400. The admit numbers were higher than that and as stated by others, will fall in the 17% to 20% range.</p>
<p>WashU is increasing (NOT decreasing) the amount of financial/merit aid for the class of 2013. The school is in very good financial shape. WashU is committed to not have finances become a barrier for attendance. You will find the financial aid office to be very responsive in working with both new and existing students.</p>
<p>I guess what I can not fully understand is the level of subjectivity in the whole admission process or else, how would you explain accepting people with 3.6-3.7 GPA or even 3.5 and SATs in the 1900 and on the other hand flat reject/wait-list kids with 2300+ SATs and 3.9+ GPAs? </p>
<p>My understanding is that the Adcom members evaluate the potential of the applicants from what is presented in their applications (stats, etc.) and then decide based on some guidelines, however, if that kid with very low stats did not author a textbook already or published several technical papers in an international journal, what would be the pressing factor that tip the balance towards him/her and deny somone with far more superior stats admission.</p>
<p>When things move away from quantitative towards almost all qualitative measures, it turns from being subjective to just random which at the end may give everyone an equal probability.</p>
<p>kishtyler - The admissions process is a combination of qualitative and quantitative. Without seeing the entire application, it is not possible to understand the decisions. Building a freshman class is like assembling a puzzle. Some pieces fit better than others in order to complete the desired picture. It does not always mean that some pieces are better than others just that they are a better fit. The pieces that are not the best fit for this puzzle, may be an ideal fit for another puzzle. The typical WashU applicant has the ability to be a good fit for multiple top rated schools (puzzles).</p>
<p>It is a pity that WashU has not made the switch to need-blind admissions. However, the letters I've gotten from them have stated that financial aid availability will not be affected by current economic circumstances - WashU is as economically "stable" as any other school at this point, and any school with comparable selectivity has to turn down students who would undoubtedly have been great for the school. Best of luck with your upcoming college decisions.</p>
<p>EDIT: Hm, I see i should have read the latter half of the thread before posting. Thanks for clarifying things ST2! And on the bright side, I'm pretty sure that WashU normally does accept a nontrivial number of students off its wait-list.</p>
<p>So if we are waitlisted and accepted the waitlisted status, it's not binding right? If I get accepted from the waitlist after having accepted some other college's offer, I would have the chance to choose to whether go or not to go to WUSTL?</p>
<p>Correct, the waitlist is not binding. You may need to tell other colleges that you're waiting on WashU's decision though (in other words, don't let your decision date go by for another school as you're waiting on WashU, try to explain things to the other school, or else be willing to part with your registration deposit).</p>
<p>I don't think any other school would require you to tell them what waitlists you are on! But, you MUST make a deposit somewhere by May 1 (which, as don_quixote notes, you will in all likelihood lose if you then change your mind and go to the formerly waitlisted school that later offers you admission).</p>
<p>You'll have to bear the responsibility for the tree that dies to give you your acceptance packet if you end up getting in. Other than that, nothing that I know of. :)</p>
<p>Geez, some of you people complaining about waitlisting really do have a superiority complex. I understand the disappointment- I really do. Still, saying it leaves you a bitter taste in your mouth to be waitlisted? I know people who would kill to be waitlisted and at least have some chance of going there. </p>
<p>As to the poster who said they would be telling all their friends not to bother with WashU, bitter much? You knew that it was a top-tier school. All of those schools could fill their freshmen class 4 times over with qualified people. It is a sad fact of life that not everyone who deserves to go will be able to go. Badmouthing a school for something beyond their control is childish.</p>
<p>As near as I can determine from searching websites, Wash.U. and Johns Hopkins are the only top 25 national universities that do not claim to be need blind in admissions.</p>
<p>This makes them seem refreshingly honest or disturbingly venial.</p>
<p>WUSTLHOPEFUL in post #5: "I'm jusgt trying to be positive." WUSTLHOPEFUL in post #1: "This school is failing . . . . find a better school." Hmmmmmm . . . I'd hate to see negative.</p>
<p><>"THIS EVENT, I BELIEVE, SHOWS THAT THE SCHOOL IS FAILING, MORE THAN ANYTHING. IF WASHU WERE ECONOMICALLY SAFE, THEY WOULD NOT HAVE WAITLISTED SO MANY OF ITS OBVIOUSLY QUALIFIED APPLICANTS"<></p>
<p>WUSTLHOPEFUL come on..that is very wrong. If they were so economically unsafe, how on earth could they ever afford to pay for all of their admitted applicants to fly to their school?</p>
<p>Listen, it seems as though you are very bitter about this waitlisting. I understand why you are shocked. Every parent thinks that their kids are the best ever. My father will be, much like you are with your kid, surprised if I get rejected from Stanford. It just doesn't seem logical to him, he thinks I am one of the best. However, I know that I will most likely be rejected from Stanford. I will be upset, then get over it.</p>
<p>It's okay to be upset, just don't be surprised or bash the school. Your son WILL go to a good school. Waitlists and rejections should be expected, otherwise there would be no reason to apply to more than one school. I DO wish your son the best of luck.</p>
<p>TheMan66 - Well stated - you seem to have a good grasp of the situation. Unfortunately WLs and rejections are a fact of life in the college application process. What many people don't understand is that basic stats (SAT, ACT,GPA, ECs) are just a start. At the top schools a very high percent of the applicants have the very best stats. A person might be the best ever at their HS and still just be one of the pack in the application pool at a top school. It is about who is the best fit at any school. An applicant may be an ideal fit at school A and not so at school B. Not always easy to accept that situation. Unfortunately bitterness, looking for an outside reason etc. often follow. Very often more by the parents than the actual applicants. But as they say "this too shall pass". Best to move on and make the best of the situation.</p>
<p>Just as an aside, WashU is probably one of the most financially stable schools in the country at this time. It is continuing with multiple construction projects and increasing financial aid in a very difficult economic climate. But I am not sure that makes a difference to the OP.</p>
<p>I am sorry you child did not get in. I know I did not fell a special warmth toward Brown when my daughter was rejected last year :)
However I would like to point out that Wash U is 6th or 7th best endowed university. My nephew who graduated last year already signed up for $200 annual donation because he loved the school so much. The percentage of their alumni who donate after graduation is one of the highest on the list and is a testimony to how much the students like their school. I understand that due to the fact they have a rather conservative money manager, they only lost 20% comparing to some of 40-50% losses suffered by Yale and Harvard. They've actually stopped a few new constructions so that can help current students whose families suffered economically.</p>