<p>I was accepted at Yale Columbia Brown and Penn but rejected at Princeton. The Princeton app was initially an ED app but was very rushed. Princeton was my only rejection... so I think it's all presentation. You can have whatever credentials, but if your app is not clean and well-organized, it decreases your chances tremendously. The "clean" apps tend to do better. I'm kicking myself for not spending more time on my Princeton app.</p>
<p>I think the only reason I got in was because I applied early. I didn't get in early but they knew that it was intially my first choice. A financial aid officer (not from princeton) told me in a personal conversation that some people get deferred purely because they need finaid; because universities have to budget and not overspend their money early. Something I'm sure princeton would deny but worth thinking about nontheless.</p>
<p>That graph is interesting, but it tracks students from the top 20 high schools with the highest Princeton matriculation, not all Princeton admits. I say this because if you look at P's overall stats you would wonder how that graph could be accurate.</p>
<p>princeton has enough $$$$$ that they dont worry about the finaid needs of applicants.</p>
<p>You shouldn't talk about Princeton's fishy admissions process on the Princeton board. People will take offense if you tell them that they were only accepted because the admissions committee felt that they wouldn't get into HYSM. I know I would be.</p>
<p>If I was already in an elite place like Princeton, I could care less what some teenagers still hoping to get into college thought about my university's admissions process. :)</p>