<p>The entire process is stressful but I don't think it's fair to portray these letters as schools not playing by the 'rules'. If the rules were that no one should know anything until April 1, then all schools which use rolling admissions would have to abolish that policy. :) That just isn't the way it works! Many of these schools which send early letters do so because they are invitations to accepted student events which are going to occur in early April. They are letting people know early enough so that transportation and accomodation plans can be made. The purpose is not to reduce stress. Generally, they are sent to the top students in an effort to woo them into accepting the offer of admission which will come around April 1. Not receiving one of these letters isn't an indication that your student will not be accepted, as the vast majority of accepted kids will not receive one.</p>
<p>What feels worse to me is schools sending acceptances (or not) well into April when they (the kids) need to decide by May 1. How does one visit and how much will it COST??</p>
<p>lhd, re your question about H&P using likely letters instead of early action/decision,</p>
[quote]
Are likely letters also sent to students who are not athletes?</p>
<p>Likely letters can be used for other students, and in fact that is very much a part of the language of the Ivy agreement. Because we have been using early decision, we had not been using likely letters in that form in the past. But it?s very likely we?ll consider that seriously moving forward.</p>
<p>In what types of areas?</p>
<p>I think we have institutional priorities ? [such as] a terrific student or a scholar. I think what we want to avoid, if we go down that path, is, in two or three years, sending as many likely letters as early-decision letters, and then we?ve defeated the whole purpose. ? Likely letters could be used for many reasons you want a student to think seriously about Princeton University ? a great violinist, [or] a particular talent in the creative arts.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Subthread: student reaction to admissions process. I think Jr has posted to CC twice. "Dad, you're obsessing for me. If I need anything, I'll just ask you." He'd rather build robots and play computer games than read CC. Also, "all engineering programs are accredited. I think I'll be OK no matter where I go." At least I don't have to deal with his crushing disappointment. When he found out he wasn't invited to candidate's weekend at Olin his depression lasted fully five minutes...</p>
<p>It is uniform, it's well known among students which schools send likely letters. Why do people wish to prolong the pain? The best thing you can do for a deferred kid who did not get a likely is to help them get happy with another choice.</p>
<p>Thank you, NJ res, for looking into that. I do wonder if they'll be able to resist the temptation.</p>
<p>One advantage of the early writes to those who may not get them--my son can release offered scholarship $$ from schools that are now no longer under consideration.</p>
<p>Watching these posts last year I was able to let son know where he stood on the totem pole with other accepted students. At some schools kids were already earmarked for research grants etc. and it helped him determine how hard a fight he would have to get these important extras. It helped him make his decision. Some schools lost him because of this...their loss.</p>
<p>I liked ASAP's post. I should be more realistic.</p>
<p>hmmm, sax, that's a very good point. In a school's zeal to woo their tippy top applicants, are they alienating very fine applicants, who might go on to greener pastures?</p>
<p>Well coronax, that's exactly what happened here. Did we read too much into it? Maybe we did but we will never know. Has it worked out for him. Oh,yeah. Absolutely.</p>
<p>sax, you make a good point. But I imagine that some of the "wooed" applicants have very good credentials and end up going to other schools anyway, making room for our more normal kids!</p>
<p>Lurkness, very true..if we waited until the last possible day to announce his decision he might have become more "valuable" to the other schools and received additional perks. His stats were very competitive. By this late in the game he had already solidified in his mind where he was going and was very happy with it. I do know one student who was offered a free ride at a top 3 LAC on the 11th hour because another had turned it down. Son did not leave that open as a possibility. I wished he had at the time.</p>
<p>So knowledge of likely letters caused this competitive student to go elsewhere; he can't be the only one.</p>
<p>You can count D in the mix with the "Hey, wait a minute. I'm not good enough for a early -write? " feeling. You can also count us in the camp that had no idea such things existed till she wasn't getting it. ;)</p>
<p>Off-Topic </p>
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<p>I am always interested in free-rides and the like from top schools that are merit based as I have a niece coming up soon. Are we talking top 3 as in Williams, Amherst, Swat ? And if so , are we talking about the Delmarva scholarships at Swat? I know of zero at the other two.</p>
<p>Yes, that's the one</p>
<p>Rats, Sax. I don't think my Texas niece can slot herself into that one.:(</p>
<p>Nah, but you are on top of things, curm!</p>
<p>Back on target...there is something very rewarding and comforting about going to a school where you know they want you. This generally comes with 4 years of perks. So maybe in the long run likely letters do us all a favor. I would think it would be very difficult to rise above the cream of the crop when you are already an astonishing student and for whatever reason didn't get that first nod. Just more competition for the basics.</p>
<p>a certain iffy league school with an initial letter between C and E did not realize what a petty oversensitive individual I am when provoked by not having sent a likely letter to my daughter causing my refusal to let her grace their buildings that stand somewhere between Vermont and Maine or to contemplate sending my monogrammed cheques to their bursar. they never even answered my letter scolding them on this practice. </p>
<p>all goddesses are equal.</p>
<p>come to think of it, my objection was that the absense of the letter seemed to spell doom for her college aspirations and therefore did not decrease anxiety, as was their self-promoting claim, but in fact amplified it. still makes me mad.</p>