<p>Willams college is my first choice but given they are so small and competitive, my chances are not good which I had accepted before applying ED. I just found out that one of the LAX super athletes from my public high school is accepted at Williams and will be attending to play lacrosse. Does this further hurt my chances since we are at the same High School? I am beginning to feel that I should not even check my admission status next month at this rate. I wonder if it would have helped for me to apply early decision at one of my other choice schools instead since Williams seems almost impossible to get in and Williams may not want two from the same High School in upstate NY. Just wondering at this point if I did make a mistake and would like to hear from others.</p>
<p>It probably does. At our high school they usually take one kid and everyone knows it. I would check with your guidance counselor before sending off another ED app though. Good luck!</p>
<p>Several highly selective LACs took more than one kid from our local HS - though I don’t recall Williams specifically. Applying ED shows a high level of commitment which could make the difference. I wouldn’t change your plan just because they took one athlete.</p>
<p>Thanks, my application is signed, sealed and delivered so there is no way to change my plans at this point. I am just making myself miserable and I have no desire to apply regular anywhere else My parents are just freaking out about this too. It seems so unfair because I have always worked hard all through high school and someone who never did is getting in because of his being able to work a ball and a stick. OK, so I am bitter and disillusioned and I guess too young to be either. Thanks for your input.</p>
<p>My ED went in to Williams and of course I wouldn’t be able to send in another ED anywhere else, did you mean Regular Decision?</p>
<p>does your school have Naviance? Does it show multiple acceptances at Williams in past years? Can you talk to your GC at your school about this situation? Perhaps he can call the admin at Williams and let him/her know that Williams is still THE college you want to go to ?
But if you have NOT prepared any other applications NOW is the time to do so. Believe me, I know from experience that It will NOT be fun for you to have to scramble during XMAS vacation to write essays, get LORs from teachers and transcripts sent [ when no one is at work at your HS], get SAT scores transmitted, etc, etc. Do that NOW, just in case.<br>
No one is guaranteed a spot at an highly competitive college, no matter how much you have worked for it and want it. Time to get moving on other applications.</p>
<p>While it may have hurt your chances, you will still have to wait it out, so it’s up to you to be miserable or do something productive until you know for sure, like get your RD applications going. You also have to recognize that the athletes at a school like Williams still have to meet a pretty high minimum standard; not only that, but to get invited to play at Williams, they had to have put in some pretty intense practices and games over 8-12 years of their lives, including special summer training and camps. Those athletes will be representing Williams in sports competitions against some pretty prestigious schools, so they are a huge part of the school, like it or not. Schools like Williams want a broad selective of students … athletes, researchers, literature experts, community advocates, etc. Do think that they only one the ones with stellar grades and SATs scores, because that it itself doesn’t make the campus community.</p>
<p>Okay, enough of a lecture … stop moping, hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. You’ve worked hard and there is more than one school out there that will be a great fit.</p>
<p>
Hah. I wish that were true. But if a top college wants an athlete enough, they don’t care how bad their grades/scores are. </p>
<p>So let the kid “mope” for a little bit. It’s sad to realize you might not get into your favorite school. Yes, there is a school out there for the OP, but it’s okay for him/her to be a little upset right now.</p>
<p>That being said, OP, there’s still a chance you could get in. Just because one person from a school was accepted, in no way implies that they won’t accept another. As someone else mentioned, check Naviance if your school has it to see if they accept more than one kid to Williams each year from your school.</p>
<p>Edit: Just checked Naviance for my school. Though last year only one kid got in from my school (because only 2 applied so that’s not surprising), the year before 2 got in. The year before that no one got in, but the year before that 3 kids got in. So it looks like they go by how the kid is and don’t limit it by school.</p>
<p>Thanks for your advice. You are right,I shouldn’t mope. The student who was admitted worked hard at Lacrosse but has a 3.2 GPA without taking one single honors or AP course. He submitted SATs of 1860 and got in before senior year even started. I am not saying sports are not important but I do feel that somehow I am getting a message from colleges about where priorities lie.</p>
<p>"somehow I am getting a message from colleges about where priorities lie. "
Colleges want students with different talents- the athlete, the musician, the math wiz, the great writer, the great leader- all can find colleges that want them and their talents.
Keep your head up- get some other apps ready for you to hit the “send button”[ i.e have everything already from your school, teachers, collegeboard, etc, sent before you hear from Williams. Then you wont have a miserable Xmas vacation having to work hard if Williams doesn’t come through for you.</p>
<p>Williams is a small college, but is extremely active in DIII. A large proportion of its admits are athletes, particularly ED. To keep the team rosters full and compete effectively, Williams needs to recruit a lot – and does. </p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>This is just another version of “are there quotas?”</p>
<p>Why would Williams or another top college have a quota at your or any HS? The reason would be to “spread the wealth”. Why would they want to do this? They wouldn’t. THere’s nothing to be gained.</p>
<p>The fact is the lax recruit and you are being evaluated in different pools. He, an athletic recruit – and you – a standard student. If you get accepted/rejected/deferred, it won’t be because he happens to be from your HS. They could admit five students this year. And zero for the next ten years. They don’t care. They want the best admits. Period. </p>
<p>If you and the lax recruit fit the bill, they’ll have you. If not,then not.</p>
<p>Be proactive. Hope for the best with Williams, but have apps ready for your other choices if necessary. Where else would you like to go? Middlebury has ED 2, and so do Swat, Emory, Vanderbilt, Colby, Colgate, and lots of other places.</p>