<p>My impression is that most (if not all) Swarthmore 'early writes' are the strongest "diversity" recruits.</p>
<p>I believe you are right, nngmm.</p>
<p>I got an early write and I'm an Asian from Illinois - not that demographically unusual. I'm so happy that I got in, though! I was very surprised to get the letter.</p>
<p>nceph:</p>
<p>Definitely. Those who have not received "early writes" shouldn't read anything discouraging in that.</p>
<p>By "on-the-edge", I'm talking solid academically-qualified applicants, including many who will enter Swarthmore in the top half of incoming freshman class.</p>
<p>I believe that "Early writes" typically go to students who fill a specifically targeted priority at Swarthmore -- an off-the-charts academically qualified student, a future engineer, students who add notable diversity to campus, and so on and so forth. In general, early writes go to students who the College really wants and who the College believes will have many attractive offers to mull over before yielding at Swarthmore. Think of it as "wining and dining" a prospective client. It's fantastic to get an early write letter, but it doesn't mean much if you don't.</p>
<p>
[quote]
i can't believe i got an early-write. i really can't. i didn't expect to get in at all and a lot of people told me it was impossible.
i don't really know what to do right now since i assumed i would never get in.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Toffee:</p>
<p>Congratulations. </p>
<p>You got an early write because your application was, almost certainly, fascinating. Your writing accomplishments are off the charts. There aren't that many high school students who have covered a Presidential primary for a national teen magazine or been published in Ladies Home Journal!</p>
<p>It doesn't surprise me that you would get an Early Write from Swarthmore. That's the kind unusual stuff that they love. Experiences like that bring so much vitality to the student body. They are picturing the enthusiasm you'll bring to art and writing on campus, or maybe your perspective during an American Politics class discussion. So what if math is not your thing? They'll get math whiz kids, too. Somebody else probably got an early write this week with equally interesting experiences in math or computer game programming. </p>
<p>What should you do? Heck, that's easy for me to say...go to Swarthmore! You'll love being surrounded by a bunch of other non cookie-cutter kids.</p>
<p>Wow, that is amazing!</p>
<p>Congratulations to all admitted students!</p>
<p>Not to obsess over this 'early write' topic any further, but I can't help but feel a tinge of discouragement about not receiving this letter. Knowing that already there are 20+ early write acceptances from CC alone, and that CC represents a minority of those who have received an early write--I find that my individual chances of acceptance have decreased. I can't tell you exactly by what percentage my chances are reduced--ek1099 has apparently played with the numbers--but I know this isn't good for me. I mean, I don't hear anyone in my situation telling me not to be discouraged. </p>
<p>This wasn't intended to be overly-pessimistic. I'm just saying, everyone's comforting words are not that comforting. And can someone explain to me why, or how some posters are concerned with the shuttle fee?</p>
<p>Well TSA, we are in the same position!</p>
<p>TSA: I agree the early writes make it more difficult for those of you still waiting, but they also have to accept a lot more students, because the school is competing for many of the same students that are accepted at multiple schools, especially during the RD round. </p>
<p>It is discouraging, but look at the big picture. Where are you at right now with other schools? It does work out in the end, the whole thing is just a difficult process.</p>
<p>Some Williams/Amherst double earlies haven't heard/may not hear early from Swat. So, not having heard yet does not mean you are not top notch.</p>
<p>collegialmom: I understand the reasons for early-writing students. To be honest, I don't really want to think about every implication of having larger applicant pools at these elite colleges/universities, but what you're saying doesn't change the fact that I'm now at a slightly greater statistical disadvantage.</p>
<p>You bring up an excellent second point. The big picture is pretty beautiful for kids like us--in my case, I've already been accepted to the University of Michigan Honors LSA program (in-state). That's a pretty damn good education for the buck. I want to say this in the pre-decision period, so it can't be taken as spite:</p>
<p>Overall, I regret coming to College Confidential. I regret reading all the dozens of books on college admissions. It's so easy to get sucked into the Admissions Game, to be consumed by an obsession. I wasted more than a year of my youth doing it. I have a lot going for me, and the difference between going to a top 15 school and a top 25 school makes little difference at all. I look back and wonder how I ever could have paid attention to the kids who quibble over their top 1% SAT scores, or to the decision rosters that prove nothing more than how the Game is imperfect. God, I'd hate to be in that admissions office. Sorry...I don't know how to word this in a way that would avoid seeming banal. </p>
<p>When I go to my mailbox during the first week of April, I'll be glad that it's all over.</p>
<p>TSA:</p>
<p>I hear ya. I'm actually not a fan of "early write" notification because I think it's an unnecessary burden on those who do not receive the letter.</p>
<p>However, let's look at the numbers. In most years, Swarthmore will accept about 900 students. Figure that there will be something like 150 ED acceptances. So now we have 750 acceptance letters waiting for the RD round.</p>
<p>My best guess as to the number of early writes is about 20% to 25%. Let's call it 175.</p>
<p>So that means that there are still 575 acceptance letters up for grabs. Even better, the applicants who expressed the strongest commitment to Swarthmore (early decision) are mostly out of the pool for those 575 letters. And, a whole bunch of applicants who the college most wanted (early writes) are out of the pool, too. Even after ED and early write, nearly 65% of the available acceptance letters are still waiting to be claimed.</p>
<p>All I'm saying is that you shouldn't feel the least bit pessimistic about your chances, just because early write letters went out.</p>
<p>Oh, interesteddad, what we would do without you...thanks for the reassurance.</p>
<p>TSA: Some of the happiest people I know went to Michigan, Go Blue!</p>
<p>thanks interesteddad...that was a nice ego boost! i really do thank you and others for answering our numerous questions and enduring panicked chances threads. </p>
<p>as for swarthmore, i think after repeating "i can't believe i got in" 50 times, i think i'm beginning to get excited about it!</p>
<p>I second that idad, about how early writes are an unecessary burden to those who do not recieve them... it caused me to second-guess the qualifications of my application...</p>
<p>...until I got my letter today!!</p>
<p>(Yes, it was dated March 13th, but I didn't get it til today for some reason.)</p>
<p>So, the moral? ....Don't give up hope!</p>
<p>If you didn't get an early write, don't fret. Remember, those who did are kids with the absolute best credentials, and they know it. Many of them will be waiting for Harvard, Princeton, etc., too, and only a small percentage of them will end up at Swarthmore. If they get 20%, they'll be doing well, a considerably lower figure than the usual yield rate. So all those early writes result in not so many spots taken. Don't worry, be happy.</p>
<p>Contrary to the above post, I think it needs to be repeated that the students accepted early write at Swarthmore may not be the ones with the highest stats, they may more be students that the admissions committee wants for reasons of a well-rounded and diverse student body. Here I am using diversity in a broader sense, ie to round out the class with engineering majors, students with certain talents, and of course the other kinds of diversity, including geographic, ethnic, etc.</p>
<p>Many of the students applying to Swat apply to Ivies, and I am sure that many of the RD non-early write admits also get many multiple offers to other top LACs and Ivies. But some of the early writes and the nonearly write admits will obviously prefer Swat over their other choices. Some early writes may also be students that have professed a strong interest in Swarthmore but decided not to do early admission for financial reasons.</p>
<p>I think the 20% accept rate by early admits is a low estimate, as the admissions committee is looking at good fits for Swat, not just superior test scores and grade points, which abound in their applicants.</p>
<p>Right on the money, Collegialmom. Excellent post.</p>
<p>I am definitely not waiting for Harvard or Princeton...I agree with collegialmom.</p>