<p>I would like some feedback on a situation, and which, I believe, has pretty much taken my D out of the running.
H emailed D's GC last week, GC called my D in and wanted her answer regarding a potential decision. D expressed that the family would have to consider any offer very carefully...finaid etc, other issues. GC expressed her stance that if H were to give her a place she'd have to accept otherwise GC would lose her credibility. She wanted answer at that time, response to H would depend on it, and D could not give it. So GC wrote H saying only that D "showed continued interest" nothing more..one sentence email.
This has been on my mind as I think a response could have been more carefully crafted.
Am I making too much of it? D really wants to have the opportunity IF she were indeed to be considered.</p>
<p>Can someone add me to the list too. I've been posting, but I never put my name on the list. I'm from Westchester County in New York so that can go on too.</p>
<p>add me on too, southern california</p>
<p>Sequoia,
I find the situation you described very disturbing. Molly also earlier reported a call from a Harvard rep fishing for information about whether she would accept or not BEFORE making the offer. This seems unethical, or at least makes a farce of the "yield" statistics. It is a high stake game for these ivies and Harvard appears to be losing to Stanford this year so far-- are they strategically admitting only those who they think (or they LEARN) will accept? </p>
<p>It seems your daughter is being honest, and being in a "healthy" place--you should be proud of her. May 1 has passed and what is healthy for everyone is to move on psychologically, be thinking about the place they have committed to. Being ambivalent about Harvard at this point is a pretty healthy stance, since all odds are still against folks on the waiting list. It seems as though what Harvard and your guidance counselor were asking your daughter to do is to move to a state of mind which is not in her own best interest UNTIL she has the offer, and that's not fair. </p>
<p>I would definitely talk to your GC about this. Is this the kind of behavior your school expects from Harvard? And the whole idea of your GC having a "relationship" with Harvard, that reeks of bias in the process as well. The old "old boys network" stuff, the privileged stay privileged. </p>
<p>This "fishing" should not be allowed because it artificially inflates yield stats AND it isn't good for the students. </p>
<p>Is there more evidence out there about this pre-admit "fishing" by Harvard reps?</p>
<p>^^^They might want to strategically admit those who will accept to make the process go faster, but it has nothing to do with yield. Harvard gets to claim a 100% yield from its waitlist admits, because a waitlist offer of admission is CONTINGENT on acceptance. Theoretically, a college could accept its entire class from the waitlist and have 100% yield.</p>
<p>I read Sequoia's post as the <em>GC</em> being concerned about whether or not the D would commit immediately (and its impact -- FWIW -- on the GC's credibility), not whether the Harvard rep was insisting on it.</p>
<p>We know folks who have been taken off waitlists, and the schools know the kids are ambiavlent at this stage of the game. Many have already attached to their May 1st selection. Finances, even with FA packages like H's, are a consideration. I'm not sure that imputing yield management motives to H is appropriate here, given what has been described -- unless, Sequoia, you have a different read on the situation?</p>
<p>I'd be concerned about the GC's attitude, not Harvard's.</p>
<p>For anyone interested, here is an updated CC wl.<br>
My apologies for any errors or anyone unrepresented. Feel free to give a shout out or make appropriate updates.
Good Luck to everyone!</p>
<p>CC wl totals; 98 wl; 17 admitted (1 declined, 1 undecided)</p>
<p>a532
asymmetriclove (Maryland)
akybaky- (male) (NYC) - ADMITTED & DECLINED
alohasam89
an0nym0us
APLinke (female) (MA)
aristotle1990
art<em>star (NYC)
believer8 (son) - (Pennsylvania) - ADMITTED
blueberri89
bleumom (son) (NYC)
braaap
brownflavors
CaliforniaDad (daughter)
Christopher546
cheerMoms (son) ( Georgia)
CNI (South Carolina)
CollegeMom08 (daughter)
ConcernedPapa (daughter)
daisy1b (daughter) (NJ)
dancinggirl
david00790
didgeridoo08
DillyDally (female)-(NJ)
dna3 (North Carolina)
Don</em>Quixote
dragon12 (son) (northeast) - ADMITTED
drnoeyedea (Maryland)
dwindlelights
edorshorst (Missouri)
emily814
Emmabelle (son) (MA) - ADMITTED
Gadli
GenericXD (NJ)
Green123 (daughter) (Long Island) - ADMITTED
Haberdash (son) ADMITTED
Hallomar (NJ)
Hbdaughter (daughter) (Florida)
hdani90
hunniebunnie
Ijmom (daughter)
justchecking (daughter) (Northern California) - ADMITTED
1nkbl0tch (Florida)
Inthezone - (MA) -ADMITTED
IvyMom1 (son) (Long Island)
JinRai
jodi92657
JohnC613 (OH)
kat41911
kate25
la montagne
LCL (sister) (Kentucky)
Lewis&Clark (daughter) (MO) ADMITTED
lionstigersbears
matador360 (New Jersey)
mayday
mj<3 (international)
Molly0252 -(female) - (Central New York) - ADMITTED
Momcheckingin (Daughter) - International
Moonofdeath
Muffinhead (female) (California)-ADMITTED
Mwlmom (daughter) (Florida) - ADMITTED
ohioguy218
oldtimeyfan (son)
palhe20
parliamo12345
Peachiepizzaz
Perpetualmotion (California)-ADMITTED
Philly<em>Mom (son)
pianonan (Ohio)
ppruks (international)
princetonboy2012
rdemom
Remi10001
Sequoia (daughter)
Smile90
snowball2600 (female)
socalimom (son) (California)
Soxfan717
Sparkley
Sprtn117
Soquidus
Standbyme (son)
student2130
superman123
TAdd
tongchen1226
tswim30 - (Florida) - ADMITTED
VanillaExtract (Florida)
Viewer (son)
vivzee (Southern California)
Waitingggggggggg (Westchesster, NY)
Wallawalla01
Wellnow
white</em>rabbit- (California) - ADMITTED
Wii Seller - (Indiana) - ADMITTED
wsm173
xd32 - (Virginia) - ADMITTED</p>
<p>It makes no sense to even ask the question whether or not a student would accept the spot if offered. They should just offer it. The only valid reason to call a GC is to ask something about the student that they can't gather from the admissions materials.</p>
<p>200 students is a lot, more than 10% of the entire class. I can see why H would want to do everything they can to expedite the process. By making calls to GC, I don't think they're trying to managing yield -- they get 100% yield off the waitlist admittees. They're trying to make things go faster. The longer kids have to bond with their original school, the less likely they are to jump ship.</p>
<p>standbyme:
Thank you for your response. I too am wondering about the "fishing" aspect. But my D is not in one of the traditional "feeder'" schools, nor in prestigious prep school from where I suppose many apply to Ivies. My D attends a very competitive public in So Cal from where about 3 to 5 students are admitted to H every year (and several to Stanford).
I'm inclined to believe that no "bias" or "relationship" is involved here, and really, my D is far from being anymore "desired" than any other student on the waitlist. </p>
<p>What bothers me is that the GC showed more concern for her "reputation" than for my D's educational prospects, and the fact that my D was put on the spot without any warning or forethought. I have no idea if the wording of GC's response would have affected H's decision or not but D's impression from the GC was that it could. Does this mean that had GC written a glowing email that this kid deserved a spot and would not hesitate to take it, she would have had the call? I have no idea. I think it was unfair of the GC. After all doesn't H actually allow around 10 days to make such an important decision?</p>
<p>The entire waitlist group is qualified. I just ask myself, why does H need to contact before an offer in the first place?</p>
<p>I'm really slow, posted the above before all the other responses came in. Yes I can see how calling in advance can expediate the process. After all I'm sure H also is quite aware of the domino affect this will have on other colleges too.
And yes CountingDown, I'm very concerned about the GC's attitude. It was she who was insisting on the answer, not Harvard.</p>
<p>Seems like they're sending out all the acceptance packages so they'd arrive on Tuesday. Does that mean rejection letters will arrive by Tuesday as well?</p>
<p>1nkbl0tch: that's what i'm thinking....the way i see it, they've probably finished almost entirely with the first wave, whether this be 150 or all 200. I'm sure they've gotten a lot of yes's already, but they'll probably need to wait at least another week or so before starting with the second round IF it's necessary, in order to have time to look at the updated class size. that's probably when we'll heear some more news form the Crimson (hopefully). But, this is all just speculation (yes, I'm going against my own advice!!)</p>
<p>^ I hope your speculation is wrong, no offense lol. I'm not ready to be officially rejected!</p>
<p>lol....i hope my speculation is wrong too :)</p>
<p>Why are people assuming that this weekend's steady trickle of acceptances means that Harvard is finished with some sort of "first round" of wait list activity? Of course, Harvard could be lying, but I'd like to be optimistic and believe that the admissions office is serious when it says that decisions will be made on a rolling basis until sometime in June. Whatever the case, I don't think anyone should fear a rejection letter this week. It's just too early...</p>
<p>I'm also waitlisted from the DC/MD/VA area.</p>
<p>Halleluia!! I have been reading this thread since its' inception. I have a S waitlisted.(please add him to the list) He has been busy with his life as usual and takes the attitude "what will happen, will happen, I did everything I could"---however, I have been taking in every word of all you wonderful students and parents. This is my first posting, because unlike my S, I am "computer challenged" and had the hardest time getting registered. I find that I have become addicted to this site-checking in every few hours when I am home. I feel a kinship, especially to the parents.</p>
<p>Sequoia--I'm with you and Countingdown, sounds like the GC is out of line. Anyway to reach around her? Like directly to Harvard adcom or HS head of guidance to let them know she'd like to see the offer and consider the FA? Seems like honesty shouldn't prevent your D from getting an offer to consider.</p>
<p>Okay, so I have a question. </p>
<p>If my Regional Rep is away from office due to a University tour... does that mean my person has already reviewed candidates and is done, or hasn't even started yet... I don't know what to think...</p>
<p>adding son to the list</p>