Personal application weirdness

<p>I've been noticing that several of these seemingly nonsensical rejections/people getting waitlisted are from people who used the personal application. I have a couple of well qualified friends who also used the PA and they both got either rejected or waitlisted, so I was wondering, was anyone who used the PA accepted? If so, did you apply early action? </p>

<p>I'm starting to think that the personal application may be a scam to increase the number of applicants so they can keep their acceptance rates low without having to read through real applications. any thoughts?</p>

<p>I thought the same thing today too. I was waitlisted, and I am pretty sure I’m qualified for this school. (I used the PA).</p>

<p>Firstly, I used the personal application, and I’ve been accepted.</p>

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<p>I’m pretty sure they can handle reading through all of them this year lol, considering the applications from last couple of years. If any school is turning down qualified applicants, it’s because of space issues… Tbh, it probably is because of space issues… I don’t really think they could handle another incoming class as big as last year’s.</p>

<p>smchls - did you apply early action with your PA?</p>

<p>did any of you “waitlisted” show extreme interest in Tulane? Did you visit Tulane? Have you called them to let them know you will enroll if accepted? it seems to me that if you really want to be there and they believe you are sincere, then those with the BIG stats are sure to get in. On the other hand, if you are using Tulane for a safety, then admissions may since that as well.</p>

<p>I definitely didn’t apply to Tulane as a safety. It was actually my second choice after Vandy, but I admit I didn’t show tremendous interest because I just assumed I would get in. I know that was foolish on my part, but these decisions still seem odd…</p>

<p>Why would they even make the PA an option if even stellar applicants won’t be accepted if they use it? The PA didn’t offer much room for showing one’s character or interest, so why in the world would they hold that against someone who applied with it? It just doesn’t make a lot of sense</p>

<p>TenaciousE - You have succumbed to the fallacy of “proving” a false premise. There is no conspiracy, there is no black mark for using the PA, there is no game trying to be played by Tulane. They have been using this admissions methodology since Katrina at least. I would venture to say that most of this year’s class will be students that used the PA.</p>

<p>smchls is right, it is totally because Tulane has to make sure this class is a couple hundred students smaller than last year’s, because that one was too large by about 10%. Since Tulane requires living on campus for the first two years, there are very real space considerations involved. You admit you were foolish for not showing interest but then think the results are odd, but in light of this fact it is not odd at all. This is a definite case of the very interested early bird getting the worm, even if that bird doesn’t have the stats of some of the others.</p>