<p>princeton24601, don't feel that way. Likely letters don't go to everyone eventually accepted, only a small fraction of those accepted. Also, with the likely letters at those schools, they may be targeting students with musical backgrounds or other unique qualities just as they do when they recruit athletes. So, while I understand your concern, don't feel badly. Your time will come.</p>
<p>^^thanks. i really hope so!!</p>
<p>Duke also sends out likely letters to non-athletes. Out of an applicant pool of 19000, they sent out 350, so it's definitely not a rejection if you don't get one.</p>
<p>ungst, surely you do not question our sincereity? We submit this petition to Princeton, with you mainly in mind, because you have shown a genuine passion for Princeton, and if accepted, your excitement alone would be enough energy to ignite the entire incoming Freshman class. I sincerely want to hear about how thrilled you are when you open that email saying...congratulations.</p>
<p>I think there's a HUGE difference between the advantage in Princeton sending out a likely letter and the advantage of, say, Dartmouth sending out a likely letter. Quite frankly, Princeton doesn't need to worry a ton about making sure the people they accept end up enrolling--their biggest losses are to Yale and Harvard every year, but that's about it, and they are still right on top with Y, H & Stanford as well. Dartmouth, however, is definitely below HPYS, even if it is a great school--they lose FAR more kids to the "upper Ivies" each and every year. Hence their decision to send out likely letters--that way, perhaps, a student might choose Dartmouth over HYP because they know that Dartmouth really and truly wants them, whereas they may just barely squeak into HYP. If you get into Princeton, you're qualified for Harvard and Yale, so it's different; if you get into Dartmouth, there's still a good chance you won't get into HYP. Dartmouth needs likely letters to pull people away from those top-tier Ivies. With Princeton, it'd just be more work when it doesn't really help them very much.</p>
<p>Plus, I agree with the fact that not getting a likely letter is a bit of a drag. My GC has told me I'm perfectly qualified & have everything I need to get into HYP, and I applied to Duke because I knew it was a great school and I figured I'd give it a chance. Then, I didn't get a Duke likely letter in the first batch that came out, and while it didn't make me particularly worried about how my Ivy apps will work out, I'm definitely not holding Duke at the level of Dartmouth, Brown, or whichever other Ivy I may hopefully get into if I get into Duke without having received a likely letter.</p>
<p>If you look at who received the likely letters to Duke most are perfect or near perfect SAT scorers and some have done things like intell ect. I see no students except maybe on e posting there who have competivitely high put not perfect scores who have a very compelling and interesting package who would be compelling candidates for Harvard and Yale. What I am saying is that just about 12% of the total accepted to Duke get a likely letter. There is still another 88% they are going to accept without a likey letter. There are a lot of applicants who would be very attractive to Harvard and Yale because they are very compelling,, ie. demonstrate great passion, leadership, talent ect who will not be getting likely letters to Duke. Duke seems to be sending the letters to perfect or near perfect SAT scorers who have achievement in science and math ect, or high under represented minority scorers, or high scorers in under represented geographic areas. Perhaps Duke cares more about raising the SAT average even higher. What one should realize however is two things. The first is that what is one schools likely list is not another. I see two cc posters indicating on the Duke likely thread that they were rejected, not deferred - to Stanford early. Not getting a likely letter from Duke does not mean that you are not a strong candidtae for Harvard, Yale and Princeton. Harvard Yale and Princeton tend to look for applicants who not ony have high scores but have done things that make them stand out. Many cc posters who got the likely letter cant think of anything that made them stand out other than the scores.</p>
<p>^^ this really does make a lot of sense. thanks for posting this, because now i definately feel like i can look on the more optimistic side.....:)</p>
<p>your welcome</p>
<p>Still, the petitioners urge Princeton Admissions, to quickly send ungst a likely letter, even a phone call will due.</p>
<p>Now, Columbia is doing likely letters. Princeton, please quickly consider this petition.</p>
<p>Columbia is sending likely letters to engineering students only. I actually think the likely threads on the ivy league sites are very misleading. The reailty is that Harvard and Yale send out about just 60 likely letters to non athletes. We are talking about a tiny tiny percentage of the studentss who are accepted receiving likely letters. Because a lot of top students post on cc, it is misleading and gives the impression that a lot of likely letters are being sent out. I also think a few posters are some of these sites could possibly be posting that they received likely letters when it fact they did not - although the majority are probably truthful. Anyoen who reads the sites has the impression a lot are going out and that is not the case. It is a very very very tiny percentage of admitted students. Probably around 5% of those admitted.</p>
<p>There's a student at the Columbia thread who rec'ed the likely letter for Columbia College. So, it isn't just for engineering. Granted likely letters have always been only given to a very small percentage of students, still, for those who do get them, it must be a GREAT feeling.</p>
<p>The other day I was wondering the same thing, why doesn’t Pton send out likely letters like its peer institutions HYS.</p>
<p>Duke doesn’t only send them out for URMs or sci/math kids.</p>