<p>Schools project a certain yield rate when they make their initial admits, being careful not to underestimate yield in order to avoid over-enrolling.</p>
<p>Harvard assumed a 79% yield when it admitted 2,074, and had about a 78.5% yield, meaning there may be room for 15 or so from the WL to meet the target class size of 1,640.</p>
<p>Princeton assumed a yield of 67.5% when it admitted 1,807, and had about a 67.6% yield, meaning there is no apparent need for use of the WL unless and until there is "summer melt" of some kind. If they want to hold to the target class size of 1,220, there may eventually be room for a few from the WL.</p>
<p>Yale's matriculants, at 1,340 compared to 1,880 admits, exceeded the 70% yield target by about 30, based on an actual yield of 71.3%, but it expects that the number who will actually show up in September will be closer to the target of 1,310. In any event, waitlist use will be unlikely.</p>
<p>Can students opt out of ED for financial reasons? Where does this melt come from? I had always wondered if those merit scholarships could lure even ED away.</p>
<p>We are talking a very small number; in the case of, say, Princeton, fewer than 10. I assume most of the dropouts are for financial reasons, although there are some that may be for health reasons, changed family circumstances, etc.</p>
<p>If the yield is what was published then it seems they have 1222 students for 1220 spots. Is it possible that melt will only equal 2
people? Sounds like they are closing down the waitlist from what
rmom posted earlier today. Will they just leave open beds if they
close down the list??</p>
<p>Basically, they go by past experience, guessing what effect any changed circumstance may have. Early programs help by reducing the fraction of the class that is still "at stake" on April 1.</p>
<p>That said, it is still a crap shoot. Its better to undershoot than overshoot, however, since its easier to fill holes from the waitlist then to have to find extra beds if you over-enroll.</p>