It seems like almost every school engages in yield protection these days.
So if you’re waitlisted, show the love (at least to your top choice school). Tell them you’ll definitely attend if admitted.
There are times when I see a post from a kid whose SAT scores are “in the zone”–meaning, in the 25-75%–who thinks that means he, an unhooked kid from an overrepresented state like NY, has a shot at that school–when I want to say to him, no. You don’t have a chance. You should really be looking at schools where your scores make you stand out. But the kids whose scores are above 75%, with ECs and rigor to match? Who knows. But that’s reach schools.
What makes life really tough for today’s kids is that match schools–schools at which, from his school’s Naviance, from the published scores, his chances are at least 50-50, are turning them down, for reasons that are as inscrutable as the reach schools’. If such a kid has four matches, all of which turn him down, or waitlist him, I think he has cause to say, WTF? I have been led to believe I had a chance at them, and I have been betrayed.
@marysidney, the problem with Naviance is that in recent years, the landscape has changed so much by the year, so that even 2 years ago is a different landscape from now and 5 years ago might as well be ancient history.
^a “chance at them” means just that: a chance. No guarantee even at a match. 50-50 draw…often you’ll get the short stick.
When my oldest d was in high school with a class of extremely high achieving students including 1 Intel Semi-Finalist, 1 who ultimately was a Presidential Scholar, 1 Nobel Fellow and so on who ultimately had many many Ivy and elite acceptances including my own d and have gone on to many elite medical school, law schools, White House Internships and so on, the head of guidance spoke to us at Senior Parents Night in early Sept/October and said that the only true safety for any one was our local community college.
Well DUH! Did the GC get paid to come up with that line? Makes me wonder why we need GCs anymore - especially at the public schools.
It’s interesting to see how many parents here take the trouble to point out their kids getting in to top schools in a thread of disappointment over not getting into them. It’s like an addiction or something to humble brag.
@PurpleTitan really? So Naviance means nothing? Fine. What does mean anything, in terms of figuring out where to apply? GPA is meaningless, SATs are teachable, the history of acceptances means nothing. What the heck does a kid use for a starting point?
The Naviance points are the best info I have, IMO, in gauging my son’s chances, given the school he is attending, for acceptances. Having seen the points for the same colleges at different high schools, the differences are noticeable. For my sons’ schools, I can even id a number of the kids, since I personally knew them which makes the info even more useful. To know that the outliers have some particularly strong hook is important, IMO.
I’ve always started with the more attainable colleges with my kids, and then at times built up to the more selective schools. Tried to do that with my friend’s son, but she was not having any of that, as her son, who is a very good student with top stats, wanted a highly selective school. Trying to explain that it is much easier to cherry pick a college list of the most known, elite college than looking for the ones that have great admission “deals”, was futile. And so it is with many in that situation.
I am somewhat curious about the whole wait list thing. Is there some sort of unwritten rule about how one should handle the wait list? Is it a chance to show “demonstrated interest” and talk the school into admitting you? In reviewing the data, last year Kenyon offered over 1000 people spots on the wait list and admitted six people from it. What’s the point?
Naviance is a guide. But changes can be dramatic from year to year. Just look at all the frustrated WLers over on the Kenyon RD thread. Two years ago they would have been in.
Edit responding to post #109: Waitlisting is a way to control yield. It can also boost revenues a bit at some schools because students coming off the WL will be full pay.
@marysidney I personally think naviance is janky when it comes to admissions. One thing I’ve seen from looking is that say Harvard accepts nine students on year 9 enroll. Next year they accept 9 students again, 3 enroll. I have literally seen acceptance tank after low yield one year. Next year they may accept three or less, then it becomes super irregular. Things like these are why I don’t trust naviance.
The most up to date information we obtained this year was at the summer and fall junior/senior visit days where admissions officers spoke directly about admissions stats from the spring. We especially gained a lot of current info on Kenyon, Sewanee, Skidmore, Union, HWS, Wooster, and Oberlin. Generally, when people asked specific questions (“How many people did you accept from the wait list?”), they received specific answers. If you just relied on the CDS, Fiske or Naviance, the information would have been at least a year old, or more.
One thing that rang out quite clearly in our son’s Naviance info was that high gpa and high test scores did not assure by any stretch of the imagination, acceptance into the most selective schools. All those top kids applying each year to ivies and other top rated schools and all of those red and yellow dots indicating denial and WL. Sobering.
It’s very very frustrating! I know the feeling. 34 ACT, 4.0/4.6 GPA, QuestBridge Finalist
Accepted: early write from Swarthmore, Vanderbilt, FSU
Waitlisted: Emory, Haverford
Rejected: Vassar, Barnard, Tufts
Still waiting on 5 Ivies tomorrow but not feeling very confident! College admissions can be such a crapshoot, but there’s a good chance applicants that fall in the average score/GPA range of a school have just left out something vital, such as demonstrated interest. Or maybe just had lackluster interviews/recommendations/essays. Or you just don’t fit the mould for that school’s specific class of 2019. It’s just not fun not knowing what sent you to the rejection pile!
Edit: I am from North Florida, which probably does not send many high stats applicants every year like NY or CA.
Bananami, no way I could have come up with a good approximation of where you would have been accepted, WLed and rejected with your stats and that list of school other than FSU.
I agree, and it’s a great school! My son still has it on his now very short list. 
@bananami - Swarthmore and Vanderbilt are AMAZING schools! Relish those acceptances. You have great options.
They are incredibly great options! I would have never thought I’d have the opportunity to earn acceptances there. I still haven’t heard from my top school, but I’m thinking I’m going to end up a Swattie 
@bananami - Good call!